Anyone for PIMS? Intoxicating and debilitating dynamics in the workplace

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the need to examine non‐conventional motivations of leaders and illustrate how such underlying dynamics can result in executive failure and organisational decline. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reflects on some of the reasons why high‐profile leaders can so easily derail, based on practical workplace experience as an external consultant, internal operational manager and as an external academic working with postgraduate students. Findings – Executives are very susceptible to the corrosive influence of power and prestige and remain so, irrespective of seniority, titles and honours. Practical implications – The paper alerts those in positions of responsibility to the limitations of applying a solely logical‐rational approach to an understanding of workplace dynamics. Originality/value – This paper highlights how power, money, sexual attraction and self‐identity shape executive behaviour.