REFLECTIONS ON CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP

70 REFLECTIONS ON CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP

and infl exible. There is a leadership vacuum, a lack of motivation and

initiative, and an attitude of passivity and negativity. Many state - owned

companies fall into this category, although they can often continue to

operate in this way for considerable lengths of time because of govern-

ment protection.

Both of these types of organization provide ideal camoufl age for

people with an alexithymic disposition because the expression of affect

or emotion is not often readily permitted.

The Alexithymic CEO

It is possible to identify several different types of top executive who

demonstrate alexithymic tendencies.

The Detached CEO

Occasionally top executives experience great diffi culty in dealing with

emotions. To protect themselves from emotional involvement, these

people develop a detached leadership style. Their emotional isolation,

however, can have serious organizational repercussions. In one organiza-

tion, the CEO was described as ‘ the Yeti, living at great heights and

occasionally sighted in cold places. ’ This man was very much a loner,

quite uncomfortable with other people, and appeared awkward, stiff,

and humorless. This personal style would have mattered little if it had

affected only himself, but unfortunately he was running a large organi-

zation. His detachment from the day - to - day functioning of the company

had serious implications for corporate culture and the policy - making

process. As his key executives were unsure what was expected of them,

they withdrew into their own territories and began to create personal

empires. The consequences were lack of co - operation, sub - optimization,

escalation of internal confl ict, and an inconsistent strategy — factors that

seriously affected the organization ’ s bottom line.

The Systems Person

For many people with communication diffi culties associated with an

alexithymic disposition, the technology revolution has been a tremen-

dous facilitator. The internet has given many of these people a way of

disguising their problems in communicating. Problems the individual

might have in relating to others are disguised by his or her successful