Corruptible

1. Power attracts corruptible individuals

"Somewhat unexpectedly, we can start to find an answer to those questions on two forgotten, faraway islands."

Corruptible people seek power. The tale of two shipwrecks - the Batavia and the Tongan castaways - illustrates how different people react when given power. On Beacon Island, Jeronimus Cornelisz quickly consolidated control and orchestrated mass murder. In contrast, the Tongan teenagers on 'Ata island cooperated peacefully for 15 months. This stark difference suggests that certain personality types are drawn to power and more likely to abuse it.

Dark triad traits aid power-seeking. Research shows that individuals with "dark triad" traits - Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy - are overrepresented in leadership positions. These traits help them:

• Excel at impression management in job interviews
• Manipulate others to climb corporate ladders
• Take risks that can lead to rapid advancement
• Make "ruthless" decisions without emotional hesitation

However, while these traits may help obtain power, they often lead to worse outcomes once in leadership roles. Studies find that leaders high in dark triad traits tend to be less effective and create more toxic work environments.

2. Our Stone Age brains lead us to choose poor leaders

"Humans are wedded to the false notion that there's a straight and predictable line between cause and effect when decisions are made."

Evolutionary mismatch skews leader selection. Our brains evolved preferences for leadership traits that were adaptive in prehistoric environments but are often counterproductive today:

• Favoring tall, physically imposing males
• Trusting overconfident individuals
• Preferring familiar in-group members

This "savanna hypothesis" explains persistent biases in modern leadership selection:

• Height correlates strongly with leadership roles and CEO pay
• Overconfident individuals are more likely to be selected as leaders
• Implicit bias leads to underrepresentation of women and minorities in top positions

To overcome these outdated instincts, organizations should:

• Use blind recruitment and promotion processes
• Actively seek out diverse candidates
• Train selectors to recognize and counter biases

3. Bad systems, not just bad people, contribute to power abuses

"Clearly, a colossal iceberg of bad behavior was under the surface. We often just see the tip of it when people in power are exposed because someone bothers to look out for it."

Systems shape behavior. While individual traits matter, the structure of organizations and societies heavily influences how power is used or abused. Key systemic factors include:

• Oversight and accountability mechanisms
• Organizational culture and norms
• Incentive structures
• Distribution of power

The impact of systems is evident in natural experiments:

• Diplomats from corrupt countries dramatically reduced parking violations when enforcement increased
• Bank employees behaved more ethically when transferred to branches in less corrupt regions

Reform systems to reduce abuse. Rather than focusing solely on "bad apples," organizations should:

• Implement robust oversight and whistleblower protections
• Create cultures that reward ethical behavior
• Design incentives aligned with long-term organizational health
• Distribute power to prevent excessive consolidation

4. Power does corrupt, but less than we think

"These four phenomena—dirty hands, learning, opportunity, and scrutiny—make it seem that power makes people worse than they actually are."

Power's corrupting influence is overstated. While Lord Acton's maxim that "power corrupts" contains truth, four factors create the illusion that power corrupts more than it actually does:

1. Dirty hands: Leaders often face difficult moral trade-offs that make them appear corrupt
2. Learning: People in power get better at being bad, rather than becoming worse
3. Opportunity: More chances to misbehave lead to more visible transgressions
4. Scrutiny: Powerful people face far more examination of their actions

Power does change behavior. Despite these caveats, research shows power tends to:

• Increase risk-taking and overconfidence
• Reduce empathy and perspective-taking
• Make people more likely to act on their impulses

However, these effects are not universal or inevitable. Proper systems and individual awareness can mitigate power's negative impacts.

5. Power changes our bodies and behavior

"For, as Charles Darwin once put it, 'He who understands baboon would do more toward human metaphysics than Locke.'"

Biological changes accompany power. Studies on primates and humans reveal that attaining power alters physiology:

• Dominant monkeys show increased dopamine receptor activity
• Powerful individuals exhibit higher testosterone levels
• Gaining status can change stress responses and immune function

These biological shifts influence behavior:

• Increased risk-taking and confidence
• Reduced empathy and perspective-taking
• Greater impulse to act on desires

Health impacts vary by position. Research on baboons, CEOs, and civil servants shows:

• Low status consistently harms health outcomes
• High status with low control increases stress and health risks
• Moderate power with high control may offer the best health benefits

To mitigate negative impacts, organizations should:

• Ensure leaders have genuine control, not just responsibility
• Rotate personnel through power positions
• Encourage social support networks at all levels

6. Actively recruit incorruptible people for positions of power

"To fix policing, we need to focus less on those who are already in uniform, and more on those who've never considered putting one on."

Broaden and deepen applicant pools. To improve leadership quality:

• Actively seek out individuals who aren't naturally drawn to power
• Use language in job postings that attracts diverse candidates
• Create pathways for underrepresented groups to envision themselves as leaders

Screen for desired traits. implement rigorous vetting processes:

• Use personality assessments to screen for dark triad traits
• Conduct thorough background checks and reference evaluations
• Incorporate integrity tests and ethical scenario evaluations

New Zealand police recruitment exemplifies this approach:

• Marketing focused on empathy and community service
• Diverse representation in recruitment materials
• Rigorous screening including community engagement assessments

Results: 24% increase in total applications, 29% increase in female applicants, and 32% increase in Maori applicants.

7. Create systems of oversight and accountability

"From Anas's undercover journalism to driving tests in India to panopticon prisons, it's clear: you don't have to constantly watch people."

Implement checks and balances. Effective oversight systems include:

• Independent watchdog agencies
• Robust whistleblower protections
• Regular audits and performance reviews
• Transparency in decision-making processes

Use sortition for oversight. Randomly selecting citizens for oversight roles can:

• Reduce corruption by introducing unpredictable scrutiny
• Bring fresh perspectives to entrenched power structures
• Increase public trust and engagement

Examples of effective oversight:

• Citizen assemblies providing policy recommendations
• Randomly selected jurors in legal systems
• Shadow boards of employees offering input on corporate decisions

Rotate personnel. Regular rotation of individuals in power:

• Prevents entrenchment of corrupt networks
• Introduces fresh perspectives
• Makes collusion more difficult

8. Remind leaders of their responsibility and human impact

"Unless you have a heart of stone, you're going to be impacted by the emotional vulnerability and expressions of these people in one-on-one confidential meetings."

Create visceral reminders of impact. Leaders often become detached from the consequences of their decisions. Counter this by:

• Requiring regular field visits or frontline work
• Implementing reverse mentoring programs
• Sharing personal stories of those affected by policies

Humanize abstract decisions. When leaders must make difficult choices:

• Present data alongside individual case studies
• Use visualization techniques to make statistics more tangible
• Encourage leaders to meet with those impacted by their choices

The Feinberg approach. Ken Feinberg, who oversaw major victim compensation funds, exemplifies this:

• Met face-to-face with 850 victims and families
• Listened to personal stories before making decisions
• Allowed the emotional weight to inform, not overwhelm, judgment

By keeping the human impact salient, leaders are more likely to wield power responsibly.

9. Focus surveillance on those with power, not the powerless

"Corner offices and boardrooms remain opaque. Boardrooms aren't bugged for audio, board members aren't tracked with GPS software."

Invert the panopticon. Modern surveillance often targets the wrong people:

• Excessive monitoring of low-level employees
• Invasive data collection on average citizens
• Insufficient oversight of top decision-makers

To address this imbalance:

• Implement stricter reporting requirements for those in power
• Use technology to increase transparency in high-level decision-making
• Empower investigative journalism and whistleblower protections

The Anas approach. Ghanaian journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas demonstrates effective power scrutiny:

• Uses undercover techniques to expose high-level corruption
• Creates uncertainty among the powerful about who might be watching
• Focuses on systemic issues rather than low-level infractions

By redirecting scrutiny upwards, societies can create more accountability where it matters most.

10. Use randomness to maximize deterrence and fairness

"Henchmen and crooks have a harder time getting away with fraud if they never know when or where you'll be watching."

Randomized oversight is powerful. Unpredictable monitoring creates a cost-effective deterrent:

• Creates perception of constant surveillance without invasive measures
• Makes it difficult for bad actors to game the system
• Allows focused use of limited oversight resources

Applications of randomness:

• Integrity tests: Random ethics scenarios for those in power
• Audit selection: Unpredictable selection of transactions or decisions for review
• Inspector deployment: Random scheduling of on-site inspections

The NYPD approach. New York City police use randomized integrity tests:

• Officers never know if a situation is a test or real
• Creates perception of constant oversight
• Led to significant reduction in police misconduct

Randomness can also increase fairness:

• Jury selection
• Allocation of limited resources (e.g., visa lotteries)
• Choosing order in competitions or debates

By embracing randomness, organizations can create more robust and equitable systems of power and accountability.

Last updated: January 24, 2025