"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