In the world of leadership, much is the charm and command given by confidence and authority, which very often outshine those deeper-seated characteristics that can actually make or break an organization’s ethical backbone. The recent study that brought into light the correlation between narcissism and leadership roles gives a clarion call to reevaluate what we consider ideal leadership qualities. Indeed, most narcissists have a self-importance view and are preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success; they always end up holding leading positions. It is not an accident but overconfidence in their capabilities, which motivates them to undertake leadership roles whether in politics or boardrooms.
The initiative to lead does not necessarily equate to effective leadership.
The end of the former research indicates that narcissists do not make any better leaders compared to the rest. Egotistic individuals overestimate their competence and capabilities. Their lack of empathy towards others creates an obstacle in the free flow of ideas and information among the participants, which is essential for group decision-making. Such is the difference that needs to be made between the concepts of narcissism and high self-esteem. While both may emerge with confidence and charm, high self-esteem carries with it a caring aspect and a desire to build intimacy with others, which indeed is noticeably not characteristics of narcissists.
It indicates a grandiose sense of self-importance, a need for excessive admiration, a lack of empathy, and may improve performance superficially but will hurt because of sensitivity to criticism and propensity for exploitative behavior. Their self-centeredness inhibits them from participation in the collaborative processes so crucial to ethical and effective leadership.
Amy Brunell, a psychologist at Ohio State University at Newark, draws a line between narcissists and those who have high self-esteem. Narcissists are all about themselves and do not care much about others, which may be telling in their leadership style. Brunell’s study published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin indicated that narcissistic traits permeate into important sectors of life, including politics and finance. The narcissistic tendency of the leader makes decision-making erratic and prone to high volatility, hence ineffective or disastrous outcomes.
The idea of cultural narcissism, per Christopher Lasch, shows a societal shift to vanity and fame-seeking.
This cultural shift towards narcissism is evidenced by changes in media, entertainment, and social behavior. Narcissists’ need for attention and admiration often leads to exaggerated self-representations on social media and manipulative behaviors in relationships. The question arises: can an entire culture be narcissistic? The evidence suggests that narcissism is indeed becoming more prevalent, with younger generations displaying higher rates of NPD than older ones.
Narcissism in leadership affects more than just individual leaders but also the organizations they lead.
The research by Jennifer Chatman and colleagues points out that narcissistic leaders can have a lasting damaging effect on the cultures of their companies, way past their tenure, in terms of reduced teamwork and integrity. Indeed, this research, published in The Academy of Management Discoveries, finds that narcissistic behavior by CEOs leads to more legal disputes and sets off a chain reaction which causes a culture unfriendly to cooperation and honesty.
Although narcissistic individuals may well be drawn to the mantle of leadership and may possess certain qualities that help them reach the top, their impact on organizational ethics and culture is unequivocally destructive. This poses a decided challenge to those in charge of the selection or promotion of leaders: differentiating healthy self-confidence from the various pernicious qualities of narcissism. As we struggle through the mystery of leadership nowadays, it is time to shift away from a charm-and-overconfidence emphasis that could overlay a narcissistic core and put a greater emphasis on empathy, collaboration, and integrity.
The second leg of our journey into the world of narcissistic leadership involves the profound effects such leaders have on the very culture of the organization. It is doubtful that the ripple effect of a narcissistic leader will not flood through the layers of an organization and shape attitudes and behaviors, even the ethical compass of the whole workforce.
They have an unmistakable grandiose sense of self-importance, coupled with a deep need for excessive admiration, and thus, narcissistic leaders often create an environment that is a reflection of their own values and beliefs-one that is characterized by a lack of empathy, a sense of entitlement, and an exploitative approach in interpersonal relationships. As these types of personalities climb the organizational structure, they generally circle themselves with their own breed, type, and character, which results in a somewhat homogenous leadership group that lacks diversity in thought and perception.
A study published by Jennifer Chatman and others in the journal The Academy of Management Discoveries paints a bleak picture of what narcissistic leaders mean for an organization’s culture over the long haul. Research suggests that these types of leaders actually ‘infect’ companies with a culture of reduced collaboration and integrity, one which can even persist beyond their tenure. This kind of ‘infection’ can set the stage for a workplace in which collaboration is penalized, honesty is not valued as much, and ethical transgressions are more common.
It is not too unimaginable to think that narcissistic leaders would favor the hiring of more narcissists. Narcissists also are attracted to people who have an inflated self-view similar to theirs and thus likely feed their need for superiority. What that means is a leadership echo chamber in which similar ideas get echoed back, while dissident voices in the room-one would imagine-are well and truly muzzled. The effect, therefore, is a leadership team that could be well unified in their narcissism but dangerously narrow in its outlook and approach towards making decisions.
The consequences of this type of homogenous leadership team are huge.
Where everyone is looking out for themselves and personal gain, the goals of the organization and the well-being of the employees become secondary. The end could justify the means, and the fallout from such actions would not be well thought out. Evidence of this can be seen in the work of Chatman and colleagues, who show that narcissistic leaders are also more likely to lead organizations into legal battles and to create cultures that are preclusive of collaboration and ethics.
In fact, a study in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin by Emily Grijalva and Luyao Zhang indicates that narcissism is increasing with the younger generation. This generational shift toward higher levels of narcissistic personality disorder may portend significant changes in the future direction of leadership and the culture of organizations. The greater the number of more narcissistic workers joining companies, along with a rise into the managerial ranks, the more challenging it becomes to foster ethical, collaborative, and inclusive work environments.
The research also points out the subtle but pervasive ways in which narcissistic leaders can influence their organizations through policies that discourage transparency and accountability, reward behaviors serving self-serving motives, and create a climate of fear and competition rather than support and cooperation. This ultimately may lead to an alienated workforce showing less dedication towards organizational mission and values, and with a greater tendency towards unethical behavioral practices.
In the light of such findings, organizations should really show much acumen in their processes of leadership selection. It is the organization’s responsibility to identify and develop such leaders who can balance self-confidence with humility, believe in collaboration and integrity, and genuinely care for the well-being of their subordinates and society in general. It is also the duty of every organization to inculcate a culture that embraces diverse viewpoints, critical thinking, and effective communication in order to offset the potential dark side of narcissistic leadership.
The study paints a vista of concern about the impact that narcissistic leaders have on organizational culture. This is a call to wake up for organizations on the qualities and values they want to emphasize in their leadership. By doing so, they will not only avoid building an unethical and narcissistic culture but will foster a work environment that is ethical, collaborative, and resilient to setbacks.
Related posts:
How Narcissistic Leaders Make Their Organizations Unethical
Effects of Leader Narcissism on Career Success of Employees: An Interpersonal Relationship Perspective
Narcissists are more likely to gain power at work because they act like they already have it, study suggests
