Risk Miscalculation or Recklessness: ‘Flying Too Close to the Sun’

There is very real danger in not being aware of just how close to the sun we are operating in our lives, professionally and personally, because when we fly too close to it, what we’re doing is greatly escalating risk of unwanted outcomes and the accompanying consequences.

A little backstory: “In Greek mythology, Icarus and his father, Daedalus, were imprisoned on an island by King Minos. To escape, Daedalus — a master craftsman — created two sets of wings made of wax and feathers.

“He warned his son not to fly too close to the sun, as the wax would melt. He also cautioned Icarus not to fly too low, as the feathers could get wet in the sea.

“His warnings, however, went unheeded. Icarus was so intoxicated by the experience of flight that he went higher and higher.

“As the wax in his wings melted, he tumbled into the sea and drowned.

“The saying ‘don't fly too close to the sun’ is a reference to Icarus’ recklessness and defiance of limitations,” writes Manfred Kets De Vries at Management-Issues.com.

What Kets De Vries, Distinguished Clinical Professor of Leadership Development & Organizational Change at renowned business school INSEAD points out, is important to learn completely well and remember.

Ambition and passion about testing limits is only good when it is successfully balanced and controlled. We have to learn and fully understand risk and then manage it intelligently.

We additionally have to realize that bad decision making may not harm others and ourselves immediately (although that’s possible too) but as we keep testing the waters, keep pushing the limits and odds, we travel closer and closer to — figuratively speaking — the sun.

So what is “the sun?” It is anything that can bring an unwanted, painful outcome to well-being, others and ourselves, for which we will be held responsible.

INSEAD has a name for this thinking, decision making and behavior.

It calls it the Icarus Syndrome.

Let’s look at it from an organizational, professional and personal perspective.

“In organizations, the Icarus syndrome characterizes leaders who initiate overly ambitious projects that come to naught, causing harm to themselves and others in the process,” writes Kets De Vries. “Fueled by excitement, these leaders are unable to rein in their misguided enthusiasm before it is too late.

“Often, these leaders… display symptoms such as:

• Placing excessive confidence in their own judgment

• Harboring feelings of omnipotence

• Becoming reckless and restless

• Displaying contempt for the advice and criticism of others

• Ignoring the practicality, cost or damaging consequences of their various endeavors.”

Reputation Intelligence: At the root, I professionally contend, is overconfidence and the euphoria of the dopamine that organizations or individuals feel in their professional or personal actions.

Of course that feels great. Of course, that can also be extremely risky in safety and respected outcomes are necessary, ones without consequences or punishments.

Flying too close to the sun is an emotional, psychological “rush” and might be what we feel we have to do. It isn’t, except in emergency situations.

There is a point where we can get too close to the heat or the fire and get badly burned, maybe to the point it causes destruction (and self destruction) so terrible that we can’t ever recover or it takes years, maybe decades.

When people are moving in their lives this way, the risk is there whether it is being recognized or not. The odds are getting lower and lower that it’s going to turn out well for others or ourselves and higher and higher that something is going to go very wrong, sooner rather than later.

Back to Kets De Vries:

“If leaders afflicted by the Icarus syndrome only sowed the seeds of their own downfall, it would be tragic enough,” he writes. “But they often put their entire organization at risk. Leaders who make all their decisions without ever consulting others invariably make grave mistakes, generating corporate collateral damage.”

Reputation Intelligence: When we fly too close to the sun professionally or personally, we are taking excessive risks and yes, collateral damage almost always becomes part of the (high) cost equation along the way and maybe, at the worst impact moment.

Asking ourselves questions and answering honestly and thoughtfully is critical.

We have to have a high-degree of awareness of where we are at all times in decision analysis and what we’re doing so we can navigate properly.

Are we traveling a road that is excessively risky? How do we know that it’s safe and all is going to be ok? How close to the “sun” are we right now and will we be shortly? What is our tolerance for risk and why is it what it is?

When, specifically, will we alter our course and steer clear of getting too close to what will cause calamity, for others and ourselves?

Brief: End

Michael Toebe is a specialist for trust, risk, relationships, communication and communication at Reputation Intelligence — Reputation Quality, assisting individuals and organizations in 1) further building those important points and 2) improving, protecting, restoring and reconstructing them when needed.

If you find yourself in need and “want” of assistance for serious, critical situations involving reputation, you are welcome to contact me personally 7 days a week, day or night at reputation.intelligence.rq@gmail.com, or through the form below or by calling 316-226-4071 (8 am to 9 pm CST).