Even literal geniuses?
It's not because they are incapable, it's because pressure changes how the brain functions.
Think of Robert Oppenheimer. Under the intense pressure of the Manhattan Project, his brain fell into the exact cognitive traps faced by leaders every day.
When stress rises:
Threat systems activate
Cognitive flexibility drops
Creativity narrows
Short-term thinking increases
This is why leaders become more reactive precisely when their teams need them to be most strategic.
Panicked that the Nazis would build the bomb first, and even after intelligence proved that their nuclear programme had stalled, Oppenheimer couldn't hit the brakes. When his team begged for a practical demonstration of the weapon first, he shut them down. The pressure cooker narrowed his focus entirely on execution; he lost sight of the impact and a massive geopolitical fall-out.
It was only after the pressure dissipated that he rationalised his decision and regret set in.
Effective leadership isn't just about managing others, it's about managing your own brain. Understanding that is a game changer!
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