Interesting, my experience has been quite different but then it has been more with executives of relatively small (<500) and private companies. I’ve also seen some cases of companies closer to dictatorships, but they have (at least from my external perspective) seemed like dictators with at least clear visions. A small minority have been loudmouthed assholes.

Have you worked with very many CEOs at SMEs? Based on my experience it seems to match the description, by and large.