The Psychology of Leadership Crisis and Growth Created by Success – Part 1: Must Yi Sun-sin Disappear from the Organization?

⚔️ At the Moment of Growth, a Leader Steps onto the Test Stage

As retirement gradually comes into view,
I’ve often thought about writing a book that captures the lessons and experiences of my journey.

At first, it was going to be about technology and trends —
AI, data, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.
Those were the things I knew best.

But as the years passed,
my focus began to shift — from technology to people,
from systems to leadership.
Because what’s truly difficult is not innovation itself,
but finding the right balance between growth and leadership.

Through years of changing organizations and moving between teams,
I began to see one clear pattern:

“Every organization tests itself at the moment of growth.”

 

When results begin to show,
the team often starts to shake.

People who once ran in the same direction
begin to watch one another instead.
As performance increases, people change.
As the numbers climb, trust quietly erodes.

And in that moment,
there are fewer Yi Sun-sins —
and more Won Gyuns and King Seonjos in the room.
It’s not a crisis caused by failure —
it’s a crisis created by success.

Success always fuels growth,
but it also tests the essence of an organization.
A true leader is the one who stands calmly at the center,
anchoring the team when everything else begins to sway.

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⚖️ Growth and Politics

The definition of success and the feeling of fulfillment
differ from person to person.
And once more than three people gather,
politics inevitably begins.

“Politics cannot be avoided — but its direction can be chosen.”

The problem is not the existence of politics itself,
but where that politics is aimed.
If it tears others down, it’s destructive.
But if it lifts the organization higher,
it becomes strategy and wisdom.

Politics will never disappear.
So rather than fearing it,
we must design it as a structure that sustains growth.

That’s why an organization must always expand its pie —
so that Yi Sun-sin, Won Gyun, King Seonjo,
and even the unnamed soldiers
can all find meaning in their own positions.

That is healthy politics,
and the foundation of sustainable growth.

When politics becomes not emotion,
but the language of fair distribution and responsibility,
the organization grows stronger.
It’s not about who wins,
but about ensuring everyone feels safe, respected,

and able to grow together.
That — and only that —
is what defines a truly strong organization.

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1️⃣ Won Gyun — The People Addicted to Performance

Won Gyun wanted to outshine Yi Sun-sin.
He was impatient, constantly comparing himself,
and angry about not being recognized.

That hunger for validation clouded his judgment
and ultimately put the entire fleet in danger.

There are still many Won Gyuns in modern organizations.
They need to be the loudest voice in every meeting.
Their names must appear on every successful project.
They choose visibility over value,
and “being noticed” matters more than “the team winning.”

They move fast, yes —
but speed without direction always leads to collapse.

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2️⃣ King Seonjo — The Portrait of an Insecure Leader

King Seonjo doubted Yi Sun-sin.
His insecurity devoured trust,
and his distrust shook the entire nation.

When a leader wavers,
the organization begins to operate out of fear.
Decisions slow down,
reports multiply,
and people start watching reactions instead of results.

I’ve seen many such leaders.
They genuinely want to do well,
but lack a clear standard they believe in.
So they double-check everything,
and try to control everyone.

In the end,
the organization grows, but the people shrink.

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3️⃣ Crisis Within Growth — The Invisible Cracks

As organizations expand,
people begin to compare themselves to one another.
Not in salary or title,
but in respect and influence —
Who gets invited to key meetings?
Who reports directly to leadership?
Who gets criticized less?

Performance slowly changes its language —
from collaboration to competition.
Instead of saying “we achieved this,”
people try to leave behind proof: “I did this.”
Reports get longer, and emails become evidence.

Collaboration no longer means shared goals,
but negotiating interests.
Phrases like “That’s not my responsibility,”
or “That’s outside our team’s scope,”
start to appear more often.

The results may be collective,
but the recognition is always individual.
And that’s when the cracks begin.

Leaders sense anxiety.
They tighten control to protect outcomes.
Meetings increase, reports get more detailed.
But the more control they exert,
the faster autonomy and trust disappear.

Team members begin to speak less.
At first, to avoid mistakes.
Later, to avoid responsibility.
Passion turns into caution,
and caution turns into defensive silence.

On the surface, the organization looks fine.
The numbers look good.
The presentations sound confident.
But beneath it all,
the joy of working together fades,
and the eyes that once shone with purpose
now carry only wariness and restraint.

By this point,
the crisis has already begun.

What’s visible are the results —
what’s invisible are the relationships.
An organization may grow through performance,
but it collapses through disconnection.

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4️⃣ The Absence of the Yi Sun-sin–Type Leader

Admiral Yi Sun-sin always stood at the center.
Even when storms raged,
even when orders were unjust,
he endured — not with emotion, but with principle.

Such leaders speak little.
They observe, they decide, and when necessary, they fight alone.
When more of these people exist within an organization,
growth transforms not into chaos, but into inner maturity.

But in modern organizations,
leaders like Yi Sun-sin often become uncomfortable presences.
Across companies and institutions I’ve seen,
such people rarely receive tolerance for even the smallest mistake.
They quietly — yet unmistakably — disappear from the organization.

They don’t seek attention,
but their presence holds everything together.
And ironically,
it’s only after they leave that people realize:

“It was because of them that the organization never fell apart.”

Their names don’t appear in reports or performance charts.
But they remain in people’s memories —
not as numbers, but as standards and examples.

Time passes,
and organizations forget countless talented individuals.
But the traces of true leaders —
history remembers them instead.

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🧭 Conclusion — In Moments of Growth, the Real Crisis Comes from Within

Crises in organizations don’t arrive as numbers on a dashboard.
They begin quietly,
the moment people’s hearts start to change.

When ambition turns into envy,
when insecurity turns into control,
and when performance turns into power —

If there is no Yi Sun-sin at that moment,
the organization is already in crisis.

I often ask myself:

“How many Yi Sun-sins do we have in our organization?”
“Or… am I Yi Sun-sin, Won Gyun, or King Seonjo right now?”

Organizations move through people,
and people waver through emotion.
That is why leadership is not a matter of technique —
but of temperament.

Anyone can achieve growth.
But only those who keep their center
can master the crisis that comes within growth itself.