What It Looks Like: Understanding Entitlement in Leadership
Entitlement manifests as a persistent belief that a person deserves special privileges, rewards, or authority, irrespective of their current performance or contribution. This behavior is characterized by an expectation of preferential treatment, a lack of humility, and an unwillingness to be accountable or held to the same standards as others. Executives with entitlement might demand deference from subordinates, resist feedback or constructive criticism, and often delegate blame to others when things go wrong.
Jack, a senior leader, often assumes that his position or past achievements entitle him to special treatment or privileges. He expects others to meet his needs without considering the contributions or perspectives of his team. His behavior leads to frustration and resentment, as team members feel their efforts are undervalued, and trust in his leadership begins to erode.
What if overcoming entitlement isn’t just about recognizing others’ contributions, but about how you lead with humility, gratitude, and a genuine desire to empower those around you?
After Implementing Behavioral Insights: Leading with Humility and Gratitude
Jack works on shifting his mindset from entitlement to appreciation and respect for his team’s efforts. He actively acknowledges his team’s contributions, seeks their input, and fosters a culture of shared success. In his next team interaction, he expresses gratitude for his team’s hard work, involves them in decision-making, and encourages their growth and development, which strengthens relationships and improves team morale.
Business Impact: Positive Outcomes of Addressing Entitlement
- Increased team trust and respect for leadership.
- Stronger team cohesion through shared values and mutual respect.
- Enhanced leadership credibility by empowering others and leading with humility.
Contributing Factors (Causes): Why Entitlement Happens
- Incompetence or Skill Deficiency: A lack of capability or expertise can lead to entitlement, where an executive overcompensates for their feelings of inadequacy by asserting superiority or privilege.
- Previous Success: Past achievements can create a sense of entitlement, where the individual feels their earlier contributions justify ongoing rewards or a lack of scrutiny.
- Organizational Culture: In some environments, hierarchical structures or excessive praise may foster a belief that executives are inherently deserving of special treatment.
- Personality Traits: Narcissistic tendencies or a natural inclination toward arrogance can amplify entitlement, regardless of competence.
- Longevity in Position: Long-term tenure can lead to a sense of ownership over the role, causing the executive to feel immune to criticism or change.
Impact on Individual: The Cost of Entitlement
- Stagnation: The executive may resist personal development, believing they no longer need to grow or improve.
- Overconfidence: Entitlement often leads to overestimating abilities, resulting in poor decisions and underperformance.
- Defensiveness: The executive may become defensive when challenged, perceiving feedback as a threat to their status or authority.
Impact on Team: How Entitlement Affects Collaboration
- Reduced Morale: Entitled executives often undermine the contributions of others, which can erode team trust and engagement.
- Lack of Collaboration: Teams may become disillusioned and reluctant to share ideas, feeling that the entitled leader dismisses their input.
- Increased Turnover: High-performing employees may leave due to feeling unrecognized or undervalued, especially when the leader’s sense of entitlement blocks others’ growth.
Impact on Organization: The Broader Effects of Entitlement
- Poor Decision-Making: When an entitled leader refuses to acknowledge their own limitations or listen to others, strategic missteps and operational failures become more likely.
- Cultural Erosion: A sense of favoritism and inequality may permeate the organization, diminishing its culture and values.
- Innovation Decline: With an entitled leader reluctant to change or accept new ideas, innovation slows, making the organization less competitive.
Underlying Need: Addressing the Root Causes of Entitlement
- Validation: Entitled executives often seek validation to compensate for feelings of insecurity, especially if they are aware of their own incompetence or fear being exposed.
- Control: A desire to maintain control and protect their status drives many entitled behaviors, particularly when the leader feels they are losing influence or power.
Triggers: Situations That Encourage Entitlement
- Challenges to Authority: When subordinates or peers question their decisions, an entitled executive may react defensively or dismissively.
- Perceived Threats to Status: Competent colleagues, team success, or external criticism may trigger entitlement as a way to reassert dominance.
- Performance Issues: When facing personal or organizational underperformance, entitled leaders may deflect blame to avoid appearing incompetent.
Remedy and Best Practices: Promoting Humility and Accountability
- Self-Awareness Training: Helping the executive recognize their blind spots, especially around incompetence, is essential to curbing entitled behavior.
- Clear Accountability: Establish systems where leaders are held accountable for their actions and results, preventing them from deflecting blame.
- Constructive Feedback Mechanisms: Regular, structured feedback can help dismantle entitlement by promoting a culture where all levels of the organization are valued and heard.
- Continuous Development: Encourage the executive to commit to skill-building and personal growth, ensuring they develop competence rather than rely on past successes or positional power.
- Mentorship and Coaching: External mentorship can help temper entitlement by offering neutral insights, especially from peers or senior leaders.
Business Outcomes (KPIs): Measuring the Benefits of Addressing Entitlement
- Improved Decision-Making: Addressing entitlement reduces the likelihood of poor strategic decisions and mismanagement.
- Higher Employee Engagement: A reduction in entitlement boosts team morale and engagement, as employees feel their contributions are valued.
- Increased Innovation: When entitled leaders are open to new ideas, it fosters a culture of innovation and experimentation.
- Stronger Organizational Culture: Less entitlement at the top enhances trust and transparency throughout the organization, leading to a healthier, more collaborative workplace.
- Reduced Turnover: Curbing entitlement lowers frustration among high-performing employees, which in turn reduces attrition rates.
