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Contrary to the Machiavellian cliché, nice people are more likely to rise to power. Then something strange happens: Authority atrophies the very talents that got them there. Surveys of organizations find that the vast majority of rude and inappropriate behaviors, such as the shouting of profanities, come from the offices of those with the most authority. Headlines are filled with the latest misstep of someone in a position of power.

Psychologists refer to this as the paradox of power. The very traits that helped leaders accumulate control in the first place all but disappear once they rise to power. Instead of being polite, honest and outgoing, they become impulsive, reckless and rude. People with lots of authority tend to behave like neurological patients with a damaged orbito-frontal lobe, a brain area that is crucial for empathy and decision-making.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704407804575425561952689390.html