Napoleon's tragic march home from Moscow: Lessons in hubris

Abstract

Executive Overview Throughout history, hubris has been cited as a common reason for leadership failure. One of the more famous examples of hubris at work was Napoleon's Russian campaign of 1812, in which he lost his army and empire. The authors examine the consequences of both Napoleon's hubris and the hubris of contemporary business executives. Among the managerial behaviors that may reflect hubris are making unsound and over-priced corporate acquisitions, pursuing growth for its own sake, and knowingly violating the standards of acceptable conduct. Using historical material on Napoleon as well as contemporary business examples, we examine the causes of hubris and specific leader behaviors that are likely to result. Guidelines for reducing the incidence of hubris are suggested.

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