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Authoritarian Antiauthoritarians
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The paradox of people who reject authority but become authoritarian themselves.
The Pattern
Some leaders build their identity around being anti-hierarchy and anti-bureaucracy. But in practice, they impose their vision just as rigidly - they just don't call it authority.
Examples:
- A founder who says "we have no hierarchy" but makes every decision themselves.
- A tech lead who dismisses all process but enforces their own unwritten rules.
- A manager who says "everyone is equal" but shuts down dissent.
Why It Happens
- Rejecting structure doesn't remove the need for it. Power just becomes invisible and harder to challenge.
- Without explicit governance, the loudest or most senior voice wins by default.
What To Do Instead
- Accept that some structure is necessary.
- Make power and decision-making explicit.
- Use Holacracy or similar frameworks to distribute authority with accountability.
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