Dollo's law of biological irreversibility may be true for evolution of species, but it does not necessarily apply to human behavior and leadership qualities. Some corporate leaders and CEOs of small companies exhibit primitive behaviors and traits despite their high positions. These leaders compete with colleagues and try to prove their intelligence, rather than showing compassion for employees. Human minds may constantly adapt and change, so behaviors seen today may disappear tomorrow. Dollo's law does not always apply to human psychology since the human mind can return to earlier states, defeating the idea of irreversibility. Leaders should behave maturely rather than competing with others, and should not set a bad example for employees.

1. Dollo’s law of irreversibility with reference to evolution of different species of
animals and plants may be true but it does not hold any locus standee with
reference to the behaviour of people in corporate.
The law says, the biological evolution is progressive and unidirectional and hence
once a species has evolved, it cannot go back to its previous evolutionary state. At
biological level it may be true but never at the behavioural level. That is why many
corporate leaders, CEO’s and owners of some small companies show very primitive
and primordial behavioural traits and leadership qualities despite of holding the
highest position.
Some of corporate leaders with positional seniority behave so bad, compete with
their colleagues, tries miserably to prove they are great, intelligent etc. If you look
at these people from Dollo’s stand point, they might be the owners of the company.
They have complete decision making authority and freedom. But still they want to
prove they are ‘great’, ‘intelligent’ and hence would run around to ‘create’ own
image and identity.
If we have to believe that the Dollo’s law of irreversibility to be true, why these
leaders/owners of some small companies exhibit such ‘primitive’ characteristics,
that too with own employees?
These people have only achieved the positional hierarchy and not evolved to the
positional hierarchy. This is one possibility.
The second possibility may be even if they have evolved to the positional hierarchy
still that can limits only to their ‘position’ and needs not bring changed in the
behaviour/leadership qualities and hence behave primitively.
Many senior level leaders in corporate instead of having any compassion, concern,
or empathy for their employee, they compete with own people to prove they are the
most talented. They often compare themselves with own employees and complain
why their employees lack the ‘leadership qualities’.
People never understand the display of our several qualities always come also from
the zone from which we operate. If we operate from the zone as ‘owner’/
‘authority’, flow of certain qualities we can see. But such qualities need not be
present in others because they will be operating from a different zone - employee.
The question is why biology fails to human psychology? May be because, human
mind is not evolving at all. The human mind may be constantly adapting and
changing and never wants to be in any ‘fixed state’.
What behavioural display we might see in someone today may stay only for the day
and tomorrow it can disappear. If hold the Dollo’s law of irreversibility when we
evaluate people, we may err in our understanding. Another possibility is that even

2. if people evolve, human mind can always goes back to its earliest state defeating
Dollo’s law of irreversibility.
The message is that people who are holding higher positions in the organizations
must behave and conduct themselves responsibly and maturely than competing and
proving.
People should remember that even if they cannot be a role model for others, they
should not become wrong model to their employees/subordinates.
Dr S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai
Desire, Dream and Destination – Social Entrepreneur Forum