Only Human – News, Analysis, and Insights from the World of Human Performance · Dr. Tony Kern

Rogues, “Minor Gods,” and Maladaptive Sociopaths

May 21, 2025·31 min·1 clip

The real tragedy: leadership repeatedly failed to document or address dangerous behavior until disaster struck.

This episode explores the concept of "rogue" operators, prompted by host Tony's reflection on a pilot's question about feeling like a "minor god." Tony, a seasoned aviation professional and author, uses his deep research into high-risk behavior to analyze why experts sometimes become dangerous. He centers the discussion on a fatal 1994 B-52 crash involving a pilot he once knew. The episode details the story of Bud Holland, a charismatic and highly skilled B-52 instructor pilot stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base. Holland, the wing's chief of standardization, died alongside three others when he banked the aircraft at 90 degrees during an air show practice, far exceeding its 30-degree limit. The investigation revealed a three-year history of reckless acts, including flying as low as three feet off the ground and buzzing a baseball game, which terrified onlookers. Five commanders were disciplined for failing to document or stop his behavior, as Holland would verbally manipulate his superiors when confronted. Tony wrote a book, *Darker Shades of Blue*, expanding this into a study of rogue personalities across professions like clergy, CEOs, and educators. A key insight is that rogues and high achievers share many traits, such as being socially adept, highly skilled, and driven to prove themselves. The critical differentiators include a rogue's willingness to lie, a personal agenda that overrides the organization's, and a lack of conscience for their actions. Tony identifies 12 characteristics, noting that rogues force people to take polarizing sides and are perceived very differently by their superiors than by their peers. These individuals see themselves above the law, and their deviations from norms grow progressively worse if unchecked. All the case studies Tony researched ended in funeral, prison, or career-ending disgrace. The host emphasizes that "inside every man is a lesser man," warning that charismatic confidence can cloak dangerous behavior. He advises leaders to challenge every intentional deviation early to avoid the "normalization of deviance." A memorable takeaway is a quote from a former CIA operative: if your gut says something is off, you're probably underestimating the problem. Tony stresses the importance of trusting intuition and never accepting excuses for non-compliance from such individuals. The tone is educational and conversational, blending a personal narrative with analytical frameworks drawn from historical research. Tony speaks with the authority of an insider, using a direct, cautionary style to dissect organizational failures. The episode feels like a masterclass in human performance and risk, grounded in a specific, tragic case study. Listeners interested in leadership, organizational psychology, and human error in high-stakes fields will find this episode compelling. Those seeking light entertainment or unrelated performance tips might skip it, as it is a sober analysis of systemic failure and toxic personality traits.

As heard by us

A blunt reminder to watch the smooth operator who sounds credible right up until the moment he does not.

Tony Kern starts with the Fairchild B-52 crash and uses it to widen the lens on rogues, the kind of people who can sound steady while bending the truth for their own ends.

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