L'Affaire Spitzer: Leaders Who Lose Their Way

No one knows what propelled him to violate the public trust. But it's clear he lost sight of the values that must guide those who are expected to be role models

by Bill George

The shocking news of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's liaisons with prostitutes offers yet another tragic example of how powerful leaders get so caught up in their egos that they lose sight of their True North.

Spitzer was right to resign and save himself the embarrassment of being forced from office. He violated the public trust he was elected to uphold. Some commentators, notably professor Alan M. Dershowitz of Harvard Law School, defended Spitzer's actions on the grounds that this was "a private matter." Hardly. As governor of New York, Spitzer was bound by oath to uphold and enforce the law. While he enforced the law against others, he failed to uphold the law himself.

Enormous Hypocrisy

Leaders, whether elected or appointed, have a special responsibility to uphold the trust placed in them. Their behavior should make them role models for the rest of society. Of course, leaders have failings and weaknesses, just like the rest of us. All of us make mistakes. But this does not excuse the actions Spitzer took.

Leaders should exemplify high standards of behavior for all who look to them for leadership and guidance. They should apply "the New York Times test," asking themselves: "Would I be proud to see all my actions described in tomorrow's New York Times?" In Spitzer's case, the answer is obvious.

An aggressive pursuer of wrongdoers on Wall Street and the corporate world, Spitzer demonstrated enormous hypocrisy by holding others to higher standards than he holds himself. Back in 2004 he spoke with revulsion in announcing the arrest of 16 people for prostitution. As he said: "This sophisticated and lucrative operation with was nothing more than a prostitution ring." How carefully did he check out the prostitution firm he hired to provide call girls to meet him in Washington? Might it have been run by shady operators who could blackmail him in exchange for favors or contracts from New York? Engaging in this behavior was not only illegal but showed poor—or a complete lack of—judgment.

Aggressive Tactics

The experience of John Whitehead, former head of Goldman Sachs (GS), illustrates Spitzer's aggressive tactics in attacking outstanding leaders. Two years ago, Whitehead wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal in which he criticized Spitzer for accusing Hank Greenberg (BusinessWeek.com, 03/10/08), then chairman and CEO of AIG (AIG), of being a crook and not bringing charges against Greenberg. According to Whitehead, Spitzer told him that afternoon: "You and I are now at war. You shot the first bullet, but I will shoot the last one. You will regret that you ever wrote that article. I am coming after you."

What causes leaders like Spitzer to lose their way? In studying failed leaders for my book, True North, I found that such leaders all failed to lead themselves, not others. I identified five types of leaders who lost their way: imposters, rationalizers, glory seekers, loners, and shooting stars.

I believe Spitzer's profile closely fits the rationalizer, one who gets so caught up in his own power that he can justify the most egregious acts and believes he won't get caught. He also conforms to the profile of the glory seeker, who defines himself by the acclaim of the external world. With an unquenchable thirst for fame, no amount of recognition is sufficient. Yet the emptiness inside is always there. In Spitzer's case, it appears he attempted to fill it by hiring someone to reinforce his ego. Of course, it never works. Like pouring water into a bucket with a hole in it, no amount of adulation can fill the emptiness within.

Thrill of Pushing the Limits

Spitzer did many good things as New York's Attorney General, and he might have proved to be a good governor, but that doesn't excuse his behavior. What happened to this rising star with the seemingly ideal home life? None of us will ever know for sure what propelled him to do what he did. What is evident is that he lost sight of his True North—the values and principles that characterized his life—and was seduced by his power and the apparent thrill of pushing the limits. As a result, he lost his way.

This is indeed a sad situation for Spitzer, his family, and the people of New York who trusted him. The hope is that he will recover to contribute his enormous skills to society—a wiser, better-grounded person.

As citizens, we deserve better, much better, from our elected leaders. It is our responsibility to examine the character of our leaders before they are given power and to assess how true they are to their values. Surely, character is a more important test than the promises they make or the images they create.

George, professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, is the author of two best-selling books, True North and Authentic Leadership. He writes his "True North" column every other week at businessweek.com/managing/.