Self-Handicapping

04/03/2013

Things should be as simple as possible, but not simpler.
Albert Einstein

In his article, "Power Play," in the Spring 2013 issue of Harvard Business Review On Point, author Jeffrey Pfeffer, observes one of the ways people in organizations shy away from power...

"People are often their own worst enemies, and not just in the arena of power. This is the case in part because people like to maintain positive self-image. Paradoxically, one of the chief ways people preserve their self-esteem is by putting obstacles in their own way. The body of research on this phenomenon, known as 'self-handicapping,' is immense. But the logic is quite simple. People want to feel good about themselves and their abilities. Obviously any experience of failure puts their self-esteem at risk. However, if they intentionally do things that could diminish their performance, they can view disappointing outcomes as not reflective of their true abilities."

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