Those who want power usually get it. I believe most people would rather be in good standing with those in power than sit at the throne themselves, be it the mafia or the regular world. The 80's Gambino family is a good example because it illustrates both ends of the spectrum. You have Castellano who just sort of ended up boss, then you have Gotti who would accept nothing short of it. You tell me which of the two is the household name today. If it wasn't for Bill Curtis most Americans wouldn't even know who Paul Castellano is. You only needed to watch the nightly news in the early '90s to know who John Gotti was. This wasn't by accident. Gotti visualized this lasting effect. It's how he saw himself. A captain like John Gotti in any organization is more powerful than a boss/owner/CEO like Castellano, and if he's not, he will be.

"...the successful annihilation of organized crime's subculture in America would rock the 'legitimate' world's foundation, which would ultimately force fundamental social changes and redistributions of wealth and power in this country. Meyer Lansky's dream was to bond the two worlds together so that one could not survive without the other." - Dan E. Moldea