"Although often treated as a children's story, its real power lies in how accurately it describes adult behaviour, particularly behavioural tendencies within organisations, and perhaps even currently on a geopolitical scale! Guido Palazzo draws on this very tale in his book The Dark Pattern (which is excellent by the way) to explain how intelligent, well-intentioned people can collectively uphold ideas, strategies, or even leaders they privately know are flawed. Business, it turns out, is full of invisible clothes."
"In the story, no one genuinely believes in the emperor's magnificent outfit. Officials see nothing. Courtiers see nothing. The emperor himself sees nothing. Yet this entire intersection of society nods along, praises the craftsmanship, and plays their role. Why? Because the cost of honesty feels higher than the cost of silence. Speaking up carries too much risk: risks of being labelled incompetent, disloyal, or unfit for one's position. Silence, by contrast, feels safe, at least in the short term."
The Emperor's New Clothes metaphor shows how intelligent, well-intentioned people collectively uphold flawed ideas through silence and conformity. A vivid childhood memory of the book's cover illustrates how striking imagery can obscure deeper recognition until a moment of clarity. The tale maps onto organizational behaviour, where officials, courtiers, and leaders privately see flaws yet publicly endorse them. Safety calculations make silence preferable to honest dissent because speaking up risks being labeled incompetent, disloyal, or unfit. Business environments therefore develop 'yes-men' dynamics and invisible norms that preserve harmful strategies, leaders, or practices despite private doubts.
Read at London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
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