Managers can drive their subordinates mad. 1979

M F Kets de Vries

This article explores the phenomenon of "folie à deux"--an aberrant relationship between manager and subordinates that is characterized by shared delusions. Though most visible among public figures like Adolf Hitler, J. Edgar Hoover and Jim Jones, the problem also surfaces among private managers and their associates with dangerous implications for the firm. In folie à deux, the unusual behavior patterns of a manager in an isolated setting become mirrored by dependent subordinates, and the organization loses touch with its original goals and strategies. The author describes the dynamics of this phenomenon and details steps to remedy the situation. Once recognized, he suggests that the manager establish a trusting relationship with the instigator as a prelude to altering the behavior patterns, then transfer the subordinates and reorient the work climate so that independence and responsibility are encouraged. If the instigator is a powerful executive, the author suggests enlisting the support of a countervailing force, such as the government or a union, to guide the organization away from possible self-destructive adventures.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000288 Administrative Personnel Individuals responsible for the development of policy and supervision of the execution of plans and functional operations. Administrators,Policy Makers,Administrator,Personnel, Administrative,Policy Maker
D001519 Behavior The observable response of a man or animal to a situation. Acceptance Process,Acceptance Processes,Behaviors,Process, Acceptance,Processes, Acceptance
D012753 Shared Paranoid Disorder A condition in which closely related persons, usually in the same family, share the same delusions. Folie a Deux,Folie a Trois,Paranoid Disorder, Shared,Shared Psychotic Disorder,Disorder, Shared Paranoid,Disorder, Shared Psychotic,Disorders, Shared Paranoid,Disorders, Shared Psychotic,Paranoid Disorders, Shared,Psychotic Disorder, Shared,Psychotic Disorders, Shared,Shared Paranoid Disorders,Shared Psychotic Disorders

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