Decorated Isolation.
‘Solitude vivifies; isolation kills.’ — Joseph Roux
For fans of masculine-coded leadership theories, there is no better place to go than Colin Powell’s Leadership Primer. It is, expectedly, heavily influenced — or, shall we say, tainted — by the author’s impressive military background. It emphasizes hierarchy, decisiveness, discipline, and order.
The model does not age well, though.
It translates less and less cleanly into modern, decentralized, or collaborative workplaces. The sharp, hard ‘truths’ and simple, binary principles that Powell offers may seem attractive at first glance, but they ring hollow in non-military contexts that involve ambiguity, compromise, conflicting values, and ethical grey zones.
The Primer feels out of step and anachronistic, increasingly misaligned with what managers need these days for inspiration and advice.
As an example, Powell inadvertently glorifies isolation at the top, portraying it less as a deadly trap and more as an unavoidable ‘burden of leadership,’ carried bravely by a ‘lonely leader’ who takes unpopular decisions.
In this framing, disconnection becomes a badge of courage, not a warning sign.
‘Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off’ is one of Powell’s most quoted leadership rules, which inept managers can use to justify and explain their isolation. You start believing that you are somehow the only one who sees the full and true picture, and that this insight sets you apart.
Yet, as de Unamuno said, ‘isolation is the worst possible counselor.’
Assume now that you have repeatedly taken Powell’s advice and ended up on your own, surrounded by sycophants and suck-ups. False praise and flattery come only to the strong, after all. But if you get there, that’s where communication breaks down.
Whatever problem is heading your way, somebody in the organization already knows about it. When people leave you alone in your noble solitude, even with respect and reverence, you will stumble upon something big and ugly when it’s too late. You will be the last one to find out. You can bet on it.
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How do you break free?
As every upcoming issue has a corresponding question that ‘retrieves’ it, what is your balance of questions and statements?
If you ask a question, how long do you wait for answer?
Do you follow up with another question or make your point?
How do you react when people complain?
Or when you unexpectedly find out that you’re wrong?
How comfortable are you saying, ‘I don’t know’?
How strong is your urge to just explain and instruct?
Or take a higher moral ground just to ‘make a point’?
Do you have a front-line routine and stick to it, come rain or shine?
How strong is your true resolve to break free in the first place?
Do you really want out?
Or you buy into Powell’s comforting myth that loneliness is the price of authority, and that distance is evidence of strength. Misinterpreting isolation as virtue. Merely seeking confirmation delivered politely.
