Vanity fair: Narcissism at work
Leadership styles / 28 July 2011
An excess of self-belief and extremes of confidence could mean you are a narcissistic leader
It might take a well-developed ego to get to the top, but a self-absorbed boss can be hard to handle. Gladeana McMahon from the Association for Coaching asks how you can handle your own narcissistic tendencies – and what to do when they go too far
An unerring sense of self-belief, sheer minded determination and high levels of ambition might seem like desirable leadership traits, but when taken too far they stray dangerously close to narcissism – which can be damaging both for teams and organisations. You don’t have to look far for famous examples of narcissistic leadership; Colonel Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein and former RBS leader Fred ‘the Shred’ Goodwin are all prime specimens. Hitler may come to mind when you think about narcissism, but Churchill may not, and yet Winston Churchill exhibited all the characteristics of narcissism. Much inspiration can be found with charismatic and narcissistic leaders, but their strengths can also be their weaknesses. What has an upside also has a downside.
Many of the traits which can help leaders reach the top of their game are the same ones which lead to their downfall. There have been many examples of a narcissistic leader who thinks s/he is invincible, only to find that a situation becomes irretrievable, allies can no longer support them and they are backed into a corner.
Are you a narcissist?
Spotting narcissistic tendencies in yourself can be hard. Think about your work. Do you no longer enjoy what you are doing and feel you are only doing it for the accolades and/or money? Do you take risks at work to get the adrenaline rush you used to get, despite feeling no genuine interest in your work? If so, it is a warning sign that something is wrong and you are no longer engaged with your organisation. Start to shape what you can do next.
Narcissists are not bad people. They cope by being good and often experience a meteoric rise in organisations because they are clever and capable. However, they need boundaries and this means that everyone needs to be held accountable by someone.
Gladeana McMahon, Chair, Association for Coaching UK
If you spot these signs in another individual in your team, you can then start the process of discussing what they need and where they can move on to. Maybe their contribution (which may have been excellent) is not enough now and the risks outweigh the rewards, so the individual needs a new challenge. The organisation needs to be aware of the potential risks and limit these.
Narcissists are not bad people. Psychological research shows them to be damaged individuals. This is not their fault and they cover up their insecurities, without knowing it, by having energy, ideas and motivation and are desperately in need of praise. They cope by being good and often experience a meteoric rise in organisations because they are clever and capable. However, they need boundaries and this means that everyone needs to be held accountable by someone.
Consider the systems and processes that an organisation has in place and how these are used to monitor individuals. Like anything else in life there is the mild, moderate and severe label. Psychologists believe that everyone has a touch of narcissim and that is not a bad thing, but if it moves beyond mild or was dormant and with the addition of power has now become rampant, there is a disaster waiting to happen. 360 degree feedback, developmental appraisals and the use of psychometrics like the Hogan Development Survey (HDS), a psychometric tool designed to identify eleven dysfunctional positions often used to identify the ‘dark side’ of an individual’s personality, can be of help.
Ironically, the most powerful narcissist needs the most understanding and empathy. They may be ruthless and think they are right, squashing any dissenter to their plans, but underneath they are often the most vulnerable of individuals. Never allow such an individual to have total power – the phrase ‘total power corrupts absolutely’ is there for a reason - but do provide the praise, empathy and encouragement to make the individual feel valued.
It is the systems and checks in a democratic society or corporate organisation together with the processes to identify strengths and limitations that gain the best from individuals while limiting the worst that are crucial. If you monitor an individual you can head the problems off and find ways of keeping the benefits of that person’s talents. At worst you can plan an exit strategy before things go wrong. Narcissism, like everything else, has a place – but a place best controlled.
Source: Gladeana McMahon is Chair of the Association for Coaching UK. As well as running her own successful company (GMA), she is Co-Director of the Centre for Coaching and Centre for Stress Management.