Organizations are structured like a pyramid which creates the very impetus for someone towards the top to know more than someone else towards the bottom. No organization or institution is structures like a cube or a prism partly because we need some guiding star, a leader. Our psyche is wired to that end!
The unfortunate part of the evolution is the fact that sometimes we will place our self interest ahead of that of the organization/institution. Leadership leverages or abuses the power of information combined with their own wisdom to subjugate the underlings. A culture of fear is not just one where man kills man but really one where I know more than you and I will not tell you until you fall.
Some organizations thrive on this culture of fear. Knowledge and awareness is ones strength and more one protects it the stronger one get. The boss loves the one who knows more, peers are scared for what you know and individuals that report into you look-up to you since you can always tell them what they don’t know. Systems and tools that democratize knowledge are not supported and ideas to proliferate knowledge are discounted.
The most unfortunate outcome is when these individuals that thrive on a culture of fear become role models!
