"At the Top"

"At the Top"

November 19, 2024

Humans have always been fascinated by "the top." Perhaps it’s the allure of hierarchy, the imagery of being at the top of the tree, or the saying, “hoge bomen vangen veel wind” (High trees catch much wind.) My day began with a newspaper article about the top earners among medical specialists.

As a scholar in public administration, organizational science, and political science, the concept of "the top" has always intrigued me. In my early years, the top was epitomized by figures like Mario, Herman George, and Lionel Capriles—the latter having passed away several years ago. I've studied "the top" extensively and published on the subject. One book title that always struck me was Unstable at the Top by the Americanized Dutchman Kets de Vries.

One consistent behavior of those at the top is their tendency to maintain distance from others. They rarely, if ever, attend local training sessions. At one point, I considered organizing training for this group on Bonaire, but I abandoned the idea. My instinct told me even that wouldn’t work. The top sends their subordinates to training, although this has declined significantly in the past decade.

Over the years, the leadership landscape has changed, becoming younger and more dynamic. However, much of this renewal stems from the aggressive ousting of executives starting in 2010. Being at the top is no picnic. But does that justify the high salaries? Partially, yes—if there’s a rationale behind them.

Marilieke Engbers and Pim Bouman wrote “Eenzaam aan de Top” (Lonely at the Top) to better understand the realities of being at the top. This book offers a glimpse into the lives of top executives, encouraging reflection not only from leaders themselves but also from supervisors, shareholders, and stakeholders. It allows us all to see over the shoulders of those at the top.

We’ll discuss this book on December 10, 2024, at the Central Bank. If you’d like to join, registration is required. https://www.universityofgovernance.com/society-5-0

Miguel Goede