Rising to a position of power doesn't necessarily make you a good leader—as many people who are high in narcissism find out
traits, of course, but it’s certainly common to find narcissistic tendencies in positions of power simply because of the benefits that leadership offers to narcissists.Leadership is a complex topic to tackle in psychology, and researchers typically look at two main aspects—leadership emergence, or the rise to power, and leadership effectiveness, or what happens once someone is in power.
As you can imagine, narcissism is great for emergent leadership. In typical leadership studies at universities, we put students into groups and see how leaders rise to the top. You can also look at this in, companies, and social organizations. People decide to step up for many reasons, but with narcissists, the motive is clear—they do it for the ego. They want a higher status, power, and the lifestyle that accompanies a higher position.
At the same time, narcissism isn’t always great for effective leadership. Just because someone rises to power doesn’t mean that they’re going to do well once they get there. Of course, efficacy depends on the eye of the beholder, too. Those who work for narcissistic bosses may see them as self-absorbed tyrants—but they may play an effective and important role in the company in particular ways. In some cases, employees and followers even do well under a narcissistic leader.
Essentially, narcissistic leadership effectiveness comes down to context. When everything is calm and stable, organizations don’t need a leader who will shake things up. When times are chaotic or unstable, though, people want a leader who promises stability and direction. If they don’t know how their life or the economy will fare, they want someone who does—or at least acts like it.
Ultimately, narcissistic leaders come with a double-edged sword, which creates a trade-off between the benefits and risks of having such a leader. They’re often
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