To avoid falling victim to narcissistic tendencies, leaders need to look outside in more ways than one. My office window looks out on the only grassed square in my neighbourhood. The view is wonderful: toddlers stumbling along playing tag, love-struck teenagers flirting shyly, fathers patiently playing ball with their offspring, hopeful they have an Olympics contender in the making.
As a supervisory board member of several companies, I often have to make difficult telephone calls over the course of the day; it may be to address conflicts in the boardroom or discuss tricky takeovers or remuneration issues. In each case, a quick glance out of the window during these conversations provides perspective and significantly improves my mood, which clearly benefits the outcome of the discussions.
It is a shame then that so many directors’ offices are without such a view and are often far away from the ordinary world.
Narcissistic leaders
Research conducted by my INSEAD colleague, Professor Manfred Kets de Vries, among others, suggests narcissism is a frequent occurrence among management’s upper echelons. In fact the number of narcissists in top management is clearly above average, although it is impossible to say exactly how many because narcissism is not black and white: it is a sliding scale. A degree of narcissism is required to be an inspirational and visionary leader, someone with the courage to take unconventional steps in disruptive environments. Too much narcissism, however, leads to megalomania, manipulative behaviour and a focus on one’s own power and status instead of the interests of the company, employees and clients.
Read more at: Three Questions Humble Leaders Ask | INSEAD Knowledge
