Very few leaders Wish their Successor Well, Very many Wishes their Boss to fail

The Shadow of Succession: A Poisoned Chalice?

It's a sobering reality: few departing leaders genuinely wish their successors well, particularly those whose own tenure was marked by mediocrity. 

Indeed, some individuals actively desire their successors' downfall. This is especially true for those whose time in office was largely uneventful, marred by controversy, and steeped in public disapproval. 

They crave the vindication of "I told you so," eager to portray their era as superior and the present challenges insurmountable. Their aim is to reclaim the spotlight, to retroactively cast their failures as successes, and to secure a favorable verdict from the annals of history.

Tragically, some followers, seeking to rationalize their disaffection with a struggling new leader, readily join in celebrating the failure of past administrations. These are often the very individuals who once excoriated those same leaders while they held power.

Furthermore, it is a common observation that some deputies with a palpable prospect of ascending to their superior's position often harbor no genuine goodwill towards their boss, their energies solely directed towards self-advancement. Some strategically withhold their contributions to their boss while diligently pursuing their succession plans. This is not just prevalent in politics, but present also in many associations where leaders have fixed terms.

As I contemplate the dynamics within our society, spanning both the realms of management and politics, I am compelled to question whether the populace at large truly comprehends, or perhaps even tacitly endorses, this recurring spectacle. Surely, when your organization or country is doing well, shouldn't you have the sense to know that you will be doing well too?

This excludes, of course, those already successful individuals who seek to seize power by orchestrating the organization's decline, thereby positioning themselves as the indispensable saviors.

And that pushes me to another observation: many people's only strategy for victory is for the current officeholder to fail. They parade their purported superior capabilities while actively wishing misfortune upon those in authority. 

Their calculation is that those responsible for the selection of leaders—be it voters, recruiters, or other influential bodies—will, upon witnessing the incumbent's struggles, be compelled to seek them out as the purported solution. The more the people suffer, the more likely they will switch away from those they align with. This calculation has not been proven to be working considering that many remain loyal to their group. 

Yet, a sobering reality awaits them: the same instruments of criticism, sabotage, propaganda and potential downfall that plagued their predecessors will inevitably be turned upon them by the next wave of ambitious opposition and opportunistic individuals, who will be equally intent on ensuring their failure. 

In all these, the losers are the people!