In leadership, being liked is fragile currency. The moment standards are enforced or hard decisions are made, affection fades, revealing why respect, not approval, is what actually sustains authority.

At the C-suite, authority grows while expressive freedom narrows. Every remark becomes a corporate signal, teaching leaders that influence is exercised less through speech and more through judgment, restraint, and long-term accountability.

New research examines how board expertise and authority can shape whether overconfident CEOs drive technological breakthroughs or expose firms to strategic risk.