Mirroring is a neural process on which empathy may be based. It happens subconsciously. When we watch someone do an action, the brain areas we would use to do the same thing light up, even if we are motionless. It’s one of the many ways our brain is wired to do what more and more seems to me like its primary purpose: tightening our social bonds.

Consciously imitating others is another way we form social cement. If we laugh or shout when others do, we experience what they are feeling, which creates solidarity. In a hierarchical society, we tend to mimic the expressions and body language of our “superiors”, perhaps to show we are “on the team.” People who don’t react in this way may make others in their peer group uncomfortable, or make their bosses think they don’t share corporate goals.

In the workplace, this may relate to how hard it is to diversify, and why rules and incentives are needed to ensure fair results, and that is a rich direction to explore. But today I’m writing about “hubris syndrome”, which I read about in The Atlantic.

People who exercise extreme power over relatively long periods have measurable reduction in mirroring, as well as observable lack of imitation. They may exhibit loss of contact with reality, or take reckless actions; they are prone to stereotyping. Powerful people are less adept at seeing things from other’s viewpoints not because they don’t try, but because they can’t. If praise and fortune smile on you always, believing you deserve them becomes part of your brain wiring.

Legions of examples of clueless CEOs testifying in various venues about deplorable decisions spring to mind….

…as well as the current trend of the super-rich building enclaves for themselves and their pilots and maids to survive extreme civil unrest or the devastating consequences of climate change, instead of trying to reverse those trends for everyone.

Intriguingly, this power-based drop in cluefulness can happen to any of us in the short term. A big promotion or raise, making the winning score in a critical game, or successfully leading a group through a challenging decision can produce symptoms temporarily.

One way to avoid the power disconnect is to remember times during which you weren’t so powerful. Have you noticed how many powerful people misremember their pasts? It happens regularly to engineers who “hit” with a startup, and instantly forget all their previous misses. Another way to stay grounded is to have someone in your life who reminds you of your origins. In a sad world this would be a parent. In a happy world this would be a friend or partner who convinces you that sycophants aren’t serving you well, so you should take advice from people who aren’t that impressed by you.

In general, when you meet someone with a guiding vision that strikes you as illogical or illegal, decide whether you want to be swept along, and if not, leave. Convincing them otherwise won’t be an option.