The Relationship Between the Dunning-Kruger Effect and Power Intoxication in Management: A Conceptual Review

Öz

Competent managers are the cornerstone of business success. However, research shows that companies fail to select the right manager 82% of the time, with only about 18% demonstrating high competence. This problem largely arises because selection processes often favor seniority, technical expertise, and past performance - along with excessive self-confidence being perceived as genuine managerial competence. This conceptual review examines the relationship between the Dunning-Kruger Effect — stemming from low managerial competence — and power intoxication (hubris syndrome) triggered by acquired power.
While the Dunning-Kruger Effect refers to individuals with low competence overestimating their abilities due to poor metacognition, power intoxication involves excessive arrogance, loss of empathy, reality distortion, and impulsive decision-making resulting from prolonged, relatively unconstrained power. When combined, these phenomena create a dangerous cycle leading to eroded organizational trust, ethical violations, high employee turnover, and strategic failures.
The study proposes a five-stage cyclical model. Real-life cases of Ron Johnson at J.C. Penney and Elif Aslı Yıldız Tunaoğlu at Patiswiss illustrate how the Dunning-Kruger Effect-driven overconfidence can escalate into hubristic behavior under power. The Dunning-Kruger Effect acts as a catalyst, making low-competence individuals particularly vulnerable to the corrupting effects of power.
In conclusion, this study emphasizes that the Dunning-Kruger Effect plays a catalyst role in triggering power intoxication and offers solutions at both individual (metacognitive awareness) and organizational levels (competency-based selection, 360-degree evaluation, and fostering a culture open to feedback, etc.). This study aims to fill an important gap in the management literature and contribute to the field of management.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Dunning-Kruger Effect
• Power Intoxication/Poisoning
• Hubris Syndrome
• Management
• Leadership

Yönetimde Dunning-Kruger Etkisi ve Güç Zehirlenmesi İlişkisi: Kavramsal Bir İnceleme

Öz

Yetkin yönetici, işletme başarısının temelidir. Ancak araştırmalar, şirketlerin %82 oranında yanlış yönetici seçtiğini ve yalnızca %18’inin yüksek yetkinliğe sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu durum büyük ölçüde, yönetici seçiminde kıdem, teknik başarı veya geçmiş performans gibi geleneksel kriterlerin yanı sıra aşırı özgüvenin yetkinlik olarak algılanmasından kaynaklanmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, düşük yönetim yetkinliğinin yarattığı Dunning-Kruger Etkisi ile elde edilen gücün tetiklediği güç zehirlenmesi (hubris sendromu) arasındaki ilişki kavramsal olarak incelenmektedir.
Dunning-Kruger Etkisi, düşük yetkinliğe sahip bireylerin kendi kapasitelerini abartması ve bu yetersizliği fark edememesi olarak tanımlanırken, güç zehirlenmesi uzun süreli ve kısıtlanmamış gücün yarattığı aşırı kibir, empati kaybı, gerçeklikten kopma ve fevri kararlar olarak betimlenmektedir. Bu iki olgu birleştiğinde işletmelerde örgütsel güvenin azalması, etik ihlaller, yüksek personel devir hızı ve stratejik başarısızlıklar gibi ciddi riskler ortaya çıkmaktadır.
Çalışma, bu iki kavramın birbirini besleyen döngüsel bir ilişki içinde olduğunu öne sürmekte ve beş aşamalı bir kavramsal model önermektedir. Ron Johnson (J.C. Penney) ve Elif Aslı Yıldız Tunaoğlu (Patiswiss) örnekleri bu modelin gerçek hayattaki yansımalarını göstermektedir.
Sonuç olarak, Dunning-Kruger Etkisinin güç zehirlenmesini tetikleyen bir katalizör rolü oynadığı vurgulanmakta ve bireysel (metabilişsel farkındalık) ile kurumsal (yetkinlik temelli seçim, 360 derece değerlendirme ve geri bildirime açık kültürün benimsenmesi vb.) düzeyde çözüm önerileri sunulmaktadır. Bu çalışma, yönetim literatüründeki önemli bir boşluğu doldurmayı ve yönetime katkı sağlamayı amaçlamaktadır.
 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Dunning–Kruger Etkisi
• Güç Zehirlenmesi
• Hubris Sendromu
• Yönetim
• Liderlik

Kaynakça

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