Bathsheba Syndrome

I coulnd't agree more with this second to last reading about the 'Bathsheba Syndrome.' Firstly, to clarify what exactly is meant by Bathsheba syndrome dates back to the earliest recorded fall of a leader/commander due to the riches of success. King David was an exceptional king and very successful, yet he was blinded by the amount of power he possessed in thinking that he could use it to cover up his wrongdoings.

Quoted from the paper, as it is explained so clearly:

First, personal and organizational success often allows leaders to become complacent and lose strategic focus, diverting attention to things other than the management of their organization. Second, success often leads to privileged access to information, people, or objects. Third, success often leads to unrestrained control of organizational resources. Fourth, success can inflate a leader's belief in his or her personal ability to manipulate or control outcomes. Even individuals with a highly developed moral sense can be challenged
(tempted?) by the "opportunities" resulting from the convergence of these four dynamics.

So, in short, the problem today is that in teaching leadership and ethics, we are ensuring leaders and commanders are ready for the demanding roles and stresses that come along with command. However, we are not learning what to do about the affects of success, which can lead to complacency.

You might be the leader of the world and everyone respects you, but you need to feel successful and needed and continually seek for betterment of all. Else, you will end up just like King David and succum to personal desires that are not in the interests of your command as a whole, but you can use the power invested in you to affect that desire. People are smart, and it will not be long before you are found out.

I want to also go back a little on what I said about the military members being fired. If you put it into the perspective of failure due to the powers of success, I can understand why they lost their jobs. Everyone wants success, but just like a dog wants to chase a car down the street, what do you do with it once you catch it? Once success is acheived, the battle is not over; it is not time for you to sit back and relax. One must continue to strive for betterment, and build others into this success so that all can reap the benefits.

-Another great day