Why Narcissistic Leaders Destroy Company Culture

There is a deep seated vacuous space in the core of every narcissist. Sounds unkind? Maybe. But if you dance with a narcissist you will begin to understand what I mean.

There is a pattern and it generally unfolds this way. We the company, we the team are initially quite exuberant about this new hire. They bring an exciting fresh lens. They are brimming with ideas, they appear visionary. They stand for revolution not evolution.

They catapult themselves on what they define as the world stage. It may be just the boardroom or a standard issue meeting room. But make no mistake, they hold court.

They are compelling. Why? They use highly charged words, speak in platitudes, make promises to not only change the world but to change your world. Your career will soar under their direction, you will be profiled, you will get a promotion, title, compensation. You are now promised to be part of their shiny orbit. Follow them and together you will discover a new and exciting planetary system.

Oh, but wait. It takes a while, but cracks start to emerge. Once they have you under their spell, you soon start to realise another pattern. At the beginning it appears as quite baffling. You explain it away — bad day, moment in time, stress reaction.

The narcissist has a few character flaws. They are self absorbed, lack empathy and have limited self awareness. They see the world in a binary way. You are a prized colleague when you agree with their point of view. They will support you…