"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."
...
"“It’s an incredibly consistent effect,” Mr. 
Keltner says. “When you give people power, they 
basically start acting like fools. They flirt 
inappropriately, tease in a hostile fashion, and 
become totally impulsive.” Mr. Keltner compares 
the feeling of power to brain damage, noting that 
people with lots of authority tend to behave like 
neurological patients with a damaged 
orbito-frontal lobe, a brain area that’s crucial 
for empathy and decision-making. Even the most 
virtuous people can be undone by the corner office."

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

www.peoplewho.org