Organizational Effects of the Hubris Syndrome and the Ways of Solution

Abstract

Hubris syndrome is defined as a managerial disease caused by the power possessed by people in managerial positions, and gives rise to positive and negative outcomes in organizations. For this purpose, the banking sector was chosen as the research area due to the fact that banking sector is one of the areas where the hubris syndrome can most commonly be seen due to the known characteristics of the sector such as tough working conditions and working goals. Data were obtained via interviews carried out with 12 managers working in the field of banking with a semi-structured interview form using the phenomenology experience research pattern, which is one of the qualitative research models. Maxqda 2022 data analysis software was used for data analysis. Study results according to data received from managers revealed that the characteristics of people suffering from hubris syndrome are seeing oneself as perfect and superior, believing that anything can be done with authority, the utopical goals given to lower-level employees and disregarding opinions of others. The reasons for the emergence of the syndrome are the problems in the institutional structure and functioning, bullying and exclusion experienced in the past and the lack of clarity about the authority and responsibilities of people within the organization. When the organizational impacts of Hubris syndrome are taken into account, two types of impacts are observed, such as the impacts on the organization and the impacts on the employees. People with the hubris syndrome harm the organization, prevent the emergence of new ideas and decrease the motivation of employees.