American culture’s central tenet through the modern years has often been defined as self-admiration. Taken too far, self-admiration has demonstrated a distinct downside and all the negative effects that can flow from it are more commonly known as excessive narcissism. Psychologists and researchers identify the negative effects when a leader holds attitudes and/or behaviors filled with arrogance, conceit, vanity, grandiosity and self-centeredness. These leaders tend to be superficially charming, charismatic, over-confident and even funny. These character traits in and of themselves can bring value to an organization, however, studies demonstrate that over time some hidden traits may eventually take center stage and can bring a wrath of destruction to workplace relationships.
While individuals with a healthy self-esteem value relationships, extreme narcissists have difficulty expressing genuine empathy, warmth and caring toward others. Studies support that extreme narcissism is often the result of childhood upbringing and/or may represent a personality disorder.
A healthy dose of narcissism tends to bridge a balance between strong results and collaborative partnerships. For extreme narcissists, however, they face a haunting psychological challenge: how do they keep feeling like an important person and on top? How do they continue to fill this deep hole that garners attention and fame?
In the workplace, extreme narcissism shows itself when:
• other people simply become pawns in a grand game of deception;
• exploiting people and viewing people as tools to make themselves look and feel good;
• there is excessive bragging about achievements (while blaming others for shortcomings);
• material goods, physical appearance, display of status symbols, manipulation and
cheating to get ahead is the focus;
Extreme narcissists often surround themselves with people who look up to them and feed their psychological needs for high-regard. Since they spend their life regulating social relationships in order to maximize self-admiration, they often demonstrate patterns of hiring and/or promoting talented individuals whom they believe can be manipulated and controlled. If an employee, colleague, customer and/or vendor demonstrate anything less than total compliance, the narcissist takes measures often at extremes toward gaining control of the individual and a path of workplace destruction takes root in the form of
psychological violence, also known as
workplace bullying and mobbing. Although, the extreme narcissists may be achieving strong business results, the behavior eventually undermines the very fabric that fuels innovation, creativity and growth.
A Back Seat on the Bus
At the turn of the nineteenth century there was a shift from character-focused culture to a personality-focused character. Likeability leadership became King and competence took the back seat. This shift in character vs. personality-leadership also contributed to a new kind of leader and leadership culture for many organizations. When character is removed from the leader, the organization focuses on self-made success and cancer begins to spread slowly within the ranks eventually ending in a downward spiral. As a mounting body of research supports, the best talent begins to signal and prepares to get off at the next bus stop when dysfunctional behavior goes unchecked.
What is the true measure of a 21st Century leader?
Emerging from the hearts of men and women, new leaders are rising who understand that gaining success as the world sees it isn’t filled with success at all but rather a deep level of emptiness. Many up and coming entrepreneurs, socially conscience and not-for-profits are rising in America and beginning to change the game. It’s about greatness of the human spirit: serving people and sacrificing for the greater good. It’s the same human spirit that forged a nation of strong leaders who would die for moral ideals ~ truth, honor, integrity and each other. 21st Century leaders recognize that organizations’ striving for selfish gain is unsustainable.
Selflessness and sacrifice are becoming the new measure of true leadership greatness.
Jim Collins, author of
Good to Great and
How The Mighty Fall, identifies that greatness is derived from passion and discipline. Key leaders who lead great organizations are often quite humble, strong-willed, and focused on excellence of a person or product. Collins’ research demonstrates that the good-to-great leader like
Abraham Lincoln is humble, diligent, servant-like, and soft-spoken. His ability to successfully lead the country through one of the most difficult periods in history is untested.
Naturally, a leader can be outspoken and humble, or shy and soft-spoken and not necessarily make a great leader. The definition of a 21st Century leader is driven by deeper characteristics of a person who lives and works in relation to a moral bearing. As a result, they are often not interested in seeking the limelight or massive cultural influence; they prefer to be invisible. The Invisible leader uplifts those around them toward better productivity, innovation and better living.
Individuals and workers are longing for leaders who are authentic; with a solid character that breeds honor, trust and integrity in their public and private lives. 21st Century leaders who take a courageous step of faith into the unknown and challenge others to push their own boundaries toward a new level of team greatness, will be the hallmarks of the sought after workplaces in future. In fact, leading organizations are already increasing a return on value according to the
Bloomberg Week/Hay Group 2009 Best Companies for Leadership Survey. The Best-In-Class Organizations Creating Better Leaders report that:
95.5% - other organizations try to recruit their employees
89.5% - everyone in these companies have the opportunity to develop and practice the
capabilities to lead others.
87.3% - have sufficient number of qualified internal candidates who are ready to assume
open leadership positions.
Questions to Consider
While reflecting on your business strategy now and over the next 18 months consider the following:
• What leadership qualities and competence are needed now? And in the future?
• Which leadership qualities are counterproductive toward achieving long-term
sustainability?
• How are these qualities reflected by those sitting in the seats on your bus?
• What will your organization need to do differently to ensure your bus is heading in the
right direction and that the right seats are filled with the right qualities and competence
now and in the future?
• What actions are necessary to help you move this forward?
Having the right leaders on the bus at the right time can make the total difference between accomplishment and greatness.
Recommended Reading:
Good to Great by Jim Collins
The Narcissism Epidemic, by Jean Twenge Ph.D and W. Keith Campbell Ph.D
Where Egos Dare, by Dean McFarlin & Paul Sweeney
©Copyright. All rights reserved. Judy White, President, The Infusion Group, LLC, partnering with individuals, leaders and organizations to optimize the 21st Century Workplace through an infusion of people management consulting and professional coaching services. www.theinfusiongroupllc.com
