Early in my career I became the VP of Human Resources for a company in which there was an unusually dictatorial VP of Administration.  He was capricious and arbitrary. Subordinates were fearful of him. But as much as they complained about him, it became apparent that they had in turn adopted many of his poor leadership practices themselves. He was ultimately terminated and a new leader put in his place.  My hope was that the subordinates would flourish under new leadership and change their ways.  Unfortunately, that was not to be.  To a person, they were all poor leaders and were all ultimately terminated as well.  The damage was permanent and it was terminal.

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