Corporate Bullies

Some executives find an aggressive style helps them claw to the top, but they often can't sustain their reign.

We all know our fair share of corporate bullies--the managers who abuse power, yell, harass and micromanage their way through life. Usually their office antics breed resentment, sabotage, "mental health days" and costly turnover.

But some executives notorious for their abrasive styles--the Steve Jobses, Harvey Weinsteins and Barry Dillers of the world--are hailed as luminaries, breaths of fresh air for stale industries.

So what separates the sadists from the wunderkinds? In short, the silver-backed gorilla.

Sadists throw their weight around gratuitously and relish the chance to watch underlings squirm. In contrast, the silver-backed gorilla will beat his chest, break branches, flash his teeth and charge--but all in the interest of protecting his troop. He secures food, mediates conflicts and provides safety, so lesser gorillas put up with his antics. His fictional counterpart is The Godfather's Don Corleone. In corporate America it may be Martha Stewart.

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Of course Stewart spent five months in prison, and Don Corleone got gunned down in the street. These power players may find an aggressive style helps them claw to the top, but they often can't sustain their reign.

Bullying leaders rise in part because they are unwilling to compromise. They are committed to--and unremittingly protective of--their vision, and make large companies move with the speed of small ones.

"These are people who are very brusque in fighting for their vision," says Stanford Business School professor Roderick Kramer. "They push people aside who are too conservative or 'just don't get it.' But they also attract--and are very protective of--their followers."

As a former Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia employee told Kramer, "[Stewart] was tough to work with, but she had a really strong vision. She drew out the best in you. If you could meet her high standards and withstand her perfectionism, it was very gratifying to be in her inner circle."

Image: Larry Ellison, Oracle CEO

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