What Links Alpha Male Influencers with CEOs?

I was watching a funny video earlier this week, roasting the current crop of Alpha Male Influencers - some of whom are household names but others who, despite not being, are nevertheless very well known online and generate significant views and revenue. Something that's VERY common with this group, is outward displays of gratuitous wealth, however in many cases the stories behind that wealth are full of holes and make for much more interesting content than anything the influencers themselves have to say!

What happens, in a lot of cases, is these influencers burst onto the scene, with glossy videos showing their multi-million pound/dollar home, their fleet of cars (if you don't have a Bugatti are you even an influencer?), an arm full of designer watches, their expensive clothing and the women they spend time with. They flaunt these openly, as the trappings of their success and many of them even go as far as to tell their followers that NOT having these things makes you less of a man.

AI once again coming up big with the Alpha Male influencer graphic...

And how did they get their money? Interesting question! Well they used one of the numerous modern methods, of course. Drop shipping. Crypto. High stakes poker. Sometimes drop shipping and then investing their earnings into crypto! And maybe playing poker on the side!

So how can you, as an acolyte of these influencers, attain their stupendous wealth and status and, thus, become a real man? Well, it's funny you asked - because the influencers offer online courses, mastermind groups and one-to-one coaching where they'll teach you exactly how to become as rich and successful as them! Isn't that handy?! Just click here and sign up for an exorbitant monthly fee, where I, and a group of experts will teach you all the things that you need to know to become rich beyond your wildest dreams!

And it must work, right? Because how else would they have been able to afford their Bugatti and their Richard Mille with the diamond encrusted bezel? It MUST have been drop shipping and crypto! Well, no. While I'm sure there are some people out there who have made seven figure incomes through these methods, it's fair to say that they're generally not influencers. They're off somewhere quiet, continuing to make seven figure incomes. For many of the influencers, the source of their wealth is a charade.

Firstly, it won't surprise you to discover that some of them have wealth families and have barely worked a day in their lives. They've been given the wealth. Others never really generated the wealth in the first place - it's all a charade. A number of these influencers have literally rented high-end houses, supercars and jewellery in order to give the impression of wealth, in order to use this facade of wealth to convince viewers that they're successful and therefore worth listening to. What many of them also do, is shout at, belittle and downright abuse their followers, in order to give the impression of strength and superiority over their viewers, which further positions them above, in the hierarchy. It's shady, but it's successful (at least for a short time) and it's a playbook that a LOT of people have followed.

So why does it work? Well it uses a psychological principle called authority bias, but this bias doesn't solely show up in the world of influencers, you can see it everywhere, including in businesses across the world!

Imagine sitting in a strategy meeting where a CEO leans forward and confidently states, “Let’s proceed with Plan A.” Instantly, nods ripple around the room—maybe even from staff who, in private, believed Plan B had merit. This is authority bias in action: our tendency to trust, defer to, or even mirror the ideas of those in positions of power—regardless of whether those ideas are the best ones on the table.

In the leadership domain, this bias isn’t just a theoretical concept—it quietly shapes decisions, stifles innovation, and can erode organisational health. Today I'd like to unpack how and why it sneaks in, and what leaders can do to counteract it.

Why Authority Bias Feels “Right”

At its core, authority bias is a mental shortcut—a heuristic. Our brains are wired for efficiency, so when someone in authority presents a solution, our cognitive wiring nudges us toward acceptance—especially under pressure or uncertainty. As Lindsay Morgia observes, while deference to expert insight often serves us, it becomes problematic when we stop questioning the authority figure’s advice, even when evidence suggests otherwise.

In business, this manifests as the "HIPPO" effect—the “Highest Paid Person’s Opinion” carries outsized influence, regardless of whether it's data-driven or even sensible.

Real-World Manifestations in Business

• Consultant Deference: I sound this countless times in banking. Imagine leadership bringing in an expensive consultant. The price tag lends authority - often overshadowing seasoned internal voices who better understand the organisation’s context, history, resources and challenges

• CEO Pet Projects: A CEO pushes for a shiny new initiative. Front-line staff sense flaws, but hesitate to speak up - history suggests that dissent isn't invited. This sort of thing is all too common, when a senior person picks up an inflight-magazine, reads an interesting article about something another company is doing and decides that the business MUST go down that road

• Marketing and Endorsements: Brands routinely harness celebrity or expert endorsements to shape consumer trust—“As seen on…”, “Doctor-approved”, “TEDx speaker” - all stamps of authority that guide decisions automatically.

• Hiring Bias: Recruiting teams may overvalue candidates from prestigious universities or those referred by senior staff—sometimes at the expense of equally capable, less credentialed candidates.

Leadership Lessons: How to Guard Against It

As we can see, this is something that we can all find ourselves or our businesses succumbing to, so what can we do to avoid it?

1. Design Decisions Around Merit, Not Rank - Use structured decision-making tools -evidence-based proposals, anonymous peer submission, or whatever internal problem solving tools your organisation has - to level the playing field

2. Foster Psychological Safety - Make speaking up not just allowed—but expected. Encourage junior voices to question senior proposals without fear. This can be hard, but if you're serious about making the right decisions, it's absolutely necessary

3. Apply the “Five Whys” to Authority Claims - When presented with a recommendation that feels off, dig deeper. Ask why five times to understand the root and assess whether the authority’s idea actually addresses it. It's not uncommon for teams and organisations to face a problem, discuss and debate it and then go off down a path of implementing a solution which in no way seems to be linked to the initial problem!

4. Democratise Expertise - Recognise that positional power doesn't equal domain knowledge. Just because someone wears a suit or title (or a Richard Mille watch and drives a Bugatti) doesn't make their input infallible. This mindset needs to be driven from the top, from those very people whose positions and authority position them as the likely beneficiaries of authority bias

5. Create Diversity in Voice and Perspective - Diversity isn't about being woke or meeting quotas. Diverse teams are less prone to groupthink. Building them ensures alternative viewpoints can surface - and strengthens decision resilience.

What Happens When Bias Sneaks In

When it's allowed to go unchecked, authority bias can be really problematic

• Innovation Gets Muffled - In environments where ideas carry more weight if voiced by leaders, employee creativity sinks. Breakthroughs rarely come from echo chambers.

• Errors Go Uncorrected - Even high-performing teams can fail fast if deference to authority prevents critical red flags from being raised.

• Trust Erodes, Talent Drifts - As FT reports on the "authority gap," many women find their competence overlooked—ideas dismissed, interrupted, or attributed elsewhere. The result? Frustration, disengagement, and resignation.

Authority bias is deeply human—but dangerous when unchecked. The real mark of leadership is not being the loudest voice in the room, but being the one who creates space for all voices.

Leaders: lean into humility. Invite disagreement. Ask your team to question you—as you question yourself. Because when authority becomes an asset—not a barrier—you unlock the true potential of your people. Leadership isn’t about being authoritative—it’s about being open.

And if someone is shouting at you on YouTube for being a loser, while wearing a Richard Mille, driving a Bugatti and trying to get you to sign up for their 'university' - don't say I didn't warn you!