Leadership Insight: The higher you climb on the ladder of power, the ...

by Michael Josephson on November 12, 2012

No leader of stature can claim ignorance of the fact that a any act reflecting badly on character or honesty (whether committed in one?s private or public life) will, if found out, most certainly be widely publicized in a manner that will damage credibility as well as personal relationships with people who have a stake in the leader?s integrity. Thus, anyone in possession of damaging information has the leverage to blackmail or influence the leader?s?decisions.

I have heard quite a few people say that what the Director of the CIA does in his private life is no one?s business.?Petraeus?s covert affair with a married woman subjected him to the possibility of blackmail and coercion by anyone (including the woman he was having an?affair?with) ?with the power to reveal his secret. As demonstrated by his immediate resignation, this information had the power to destroy or damage his agency, career, marriage and other important relationships.

It is a well established and wise principle in the intelligence and law enforcement professions that one must conduct his or her private life in a manner that no person with could find information which provides leverage to blackmail, coerce or influence the professional?s behavior. (In fact, blackmail of this sort is one way the CIA gets people to betray their country).

Even low level CIA employees who need to keep their private behavior secret become a security risk as they are vulnerable to anyone who threatens to reveal the secret.

This is one of the ?most egregious cases of unprofessional conduct one could imagine and ultimately, Patraeus knew it. If he didn?t resign he would have to be fired.

On the personal level, what he subjected his wife and others who have a stake in his reputation to is also irresponsible as well as unethical (immoral).

By the way, the woman who betrayed her spouse and humiliated her kids as well seems to be getting a free ride.

Source: http://josephsoninstitute.org/business/blog/2012/11/leadership-insight-the-higher-you-climb-on-the-ladder-of-power-the-more-people-see-your-ass-cia-director-david-patraeus-had-climbed-about-as-high-as-one-could-go/

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