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In Greek mythology, Icarus was the young man who ignored his father's advice and flew too close to the sun on wax and feather wings. Despite his self-confidence and skill, the sun melted the wax. And he plummeted to his doom.
Many of the traits possessed by talented executives can also come back to haunt them. Self-confidence becomes arrogance. Decision-making ability turns into complacency. And appetite for risk becomes a dangerous desire to do just one more deal. Hubris haunts the high flyers.
On Monday, Nissan brought jet-setting Carlos Ghosn, its chairman, abruptly down to earth. The Japanese carmaker he once helped rescue accused him of numerous significant acts of misconduct, including understating his pay. Nissan plans to strip Mr Ghosn of his chairmanship at a board meeting on Thursday.
The arc of his career is dramatic. The multinational executive was nicknamed Le Cost Killer for his success in the 1990s improving performance at France's Renault, where he's now chief executive. He turned around Nissan at the turn of the century. He's worked non-stop across continents creating and maintaining an alliance between Renault, Nissan, and Mitsubishi.
The Japanese turned him into a rock star for his early success at Nissan, celebrating his life in a manga comic strip and seeking him out for autographs. Such early acclaim often goes to executives' heads. They get used to the high life, the perks and privileges of office, from corporate jets to luxury hotels and conferences, and, of course, the high pay. They come unmoored from their communities. They lose self-awareness and ignore good counsel.
Mr Ghosn hasn't commented on the allegations against him. But Monday's announcement has guaranteed a bumpier landing at the end of his career than he would have anticipated. And there's a lesson there for executives who may be tempted to fly too close to the sun.