Where Egos Dare

The Untold Truth about Narcissistic Leaders -- and How to Survive Them

Dean B. McFarlin, Paul D. Sweeney

Publisher: Kogan Page, 2000 , 260 pages

ISBN: 0-7494-2724-8

Synopsis:

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Everybody idolizes great business leaders. The mere image of the dynamic, focused leader inspiring people to share in a vision of corporate success is exhilarating. But what abolut all those leaders who are less than inspiring? More importantly, what of those leaders whose obsessive egotism and warped self-absorption fuel the worst excesses of leadership?

Where Egos Dare is a fascinating exposure of this seamier side of leadership. Taking a courageous leap into the murky world of self-serving bosses, the authors shine a welcome spotlight on the hidden underbelly of leadership. Drawing on their own extensive first-hand research and a variety of other sources, McFarlin and Sweeney bring us a brilliant analysis of the psyche of the egocentric leader and the devasting — and usually unreported — effect it can have on both individual and organizational performance. The horror stoies told here clearly show how damaging a powerful ego can become when allowed toflower into excessive narcissism. Both compelling and disturbing, you'll find out:

• why you should never underestimate the narcissistic leader's capacity to be irrational, brutal and ruthless;
• how some corporate leaders account for their destructive behaviour;
• what proactive measures can be taken to curb a narcissistic leader's excesses.

The authors' message, though, is fundamentally optimistic. If you are struggling with how to cope with a narcissistic boss, Where Egos Dare provides you with the tools and tactics to fight back: it will help you to re-establish a sense of control over your job. If you are a manager, it will alert you to the dangers of narcissistic tendencies in yourself and show you where your ego must never dare to go!

Table of Contents:

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• Part 1: Introduction
1. Why we're concerned about narcissistic leaders
• Welcome to the corporate reflecting pool
• The best of times: Why the table is set for narcissistic leadership
• Our plan of attack
• Part 2: Surviving the narcissistic leader
2. Identifying the narcissistic leader
• Beginning the identification process
• Inside the house of mirrors: The narcissistic personality
• Belling the cat: The behavioural profile of narcissistic leaders
3. Responding to manipulation and exploitation
• The ends have it
• Tactics used to manipulate and exploit
• Countering manipulation and exploitation
4. Responding to impulsive and unconventional behaviour
• The narcissistic leader as raging lunatic
• Reacting to narcissistic rage
5. Responding to excessive impression management
• Blowhards and braggarts
• Impression management tactics: Tools of the narcissist's trade
• Limiting narcissistic impression management
6. Responding to poor administrative practices
• Why narcissistic leaders make lousy managers
• Strategies for dealing with poor administrative practices
7. Responding to flawed visions and perceived infallibility
• Visions from hell
• How narcissistic leaders abuse the 'visioning' process
• Stopping the narcissistic visionary… or at least not getting burnt
8. Responding to the failure to plan for succession
• Is there anyone to hold the fort?
• Succession: A messy mystery
• Improving the succession planning picture: Keeping narcissistic leaders at bay
• Part 3: Reining in the threat of narcissistic leadership
9. How pressures for change and faddism encourage narcissistic leadership
• Making it easier for narcissistic leaders
• Narcissists capitalize on the value placed on change
• Fads, consultants and narcissistic leadership
• Combating narcissistic change and faddism
10. Corporate cultures that invite and sustain the narcissist
• The corporate culture as breeding ground
• What the narcissist needs to succeed
• What companies can do to limit narcissistic influences
11. Picking up the pieces: Life after the narcissist
• Lost lives
• Recognizing signs of mistrust and cynicism
• Re-establishing trust
• Part 4: Conclusion
12. Cain and Abel: Rediscovering both sides of narcissistic keadership
• Turning the tables
• The intersection of constructive narcissism and charismatic leadership
• Going your own way: The search for constructive narcissism