Amnon
Theme:
Abuse of power
Business Application:
Trampling others to get what you want destroys the perpetrator and the victim and corrodes organizations
Who he was:
Amnon was David’s firstborn son who raped his half-sister Tamar. He lured her into his tent by faking illness, with the help of an advisor. Afterwards, he despised her and cast her out. Absalom, Tamar’s brother, killed Amnon in revenge.
Why his story matters:
Amnon’s actions started a chain reaction that led to civil war. King David, perhaps feeling the weight of his own guilt over taking advantage of Bathsheba, failed to address Amnon’s behavior. The violence that ensued threatened his kingdom.
What we can learn from him:
Amnon was willing to violate others’ rights to get what he wanted and he had enablers that supported his corrupt objective. We need to watch out for our own tendency to hurt others to get our way, and to address it when we see it happening in others.
Where we see his archetype today:
We see traces of Amnon in abusive leaders and the people that keep them in positions of power because they get the results they are looking for. Ultimately, they will threaten the organization.
How we can learn more about him:
Amnon’s story is found in 2 Samuel 13