Narcissism and leadership

Narcissistic leaders are clever at indoctrinating organisations and groups of people to accept their view. They dislike democratic ideals and will go out of their way to dismantle principles that limit their power

By Varuni Ganepola 

Narcissus

Long before the age of the selfies, the ancient Greeks and Romans had a mythical story about those who were obsessed with their self-image. Narcissus was a handsome Greek hunter who loved himself and his self-image so much that he rejected the love of Echo, a nymph. As the story goes, Echo, dejected and unhappy, eventually faded away into an ‘echo’. It is also recorded that Narcissus rejected many other interested admirers. 

Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, planned to teach Narcissus a lesson. She led him into a river where Narcissus saw his own reflection in the water. Some historians say he loved his reflection so much that he fell into the water and died. Some say he committed suicide. Still others say that he stared mesmerised at his own good looks until he died. A fragrant flower bloomed in the water where he died. This flower was called Narcissus. It is said that the gods turned him into this flower. Despite the diversity of versions, this is a story of self-obsession. 

Narcissus had an elevated and, subsequently, detrimental self-involvement. The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) classifies it as a disorder. When there is long-term presence of internal and external behaviour and experiences that are unrealistic, they become personality disorders (PD). PDs impact the way people think, behave, and relate to others. 

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Narcissistic PD (NPD) is one such disorder that affects about 1-2% of a given population, more commonly found in men. Unlike most other mental illnesses, in NPD, the sufferer feels good, but the people around them suffer. Those with narcissistic personality disorder may not think that anything is wrong with themselves. Hence, they do not seek help or treatment. Thus, symptoms take over a person’s life and they cause problems – for others. 

When people try to help a sufferer, they tell them that they are wrong. Instead of taking care of people or problems, they will use others for their own benefit. When there is constructive feedback, they become aggressive and angry. When things go wrong, it is never their fault. In their minds, it can never be their fault as they are superior, above others, faultless, and, therefore, blameless. 

The exact causes of narcissistic personality disorder are not known. But, as with personality development and with other mental health disorders, the cause of NPD is likely rather complex. Currently, literature indicates that NPD may be linked to the environment, genetics, and neurobiology. Parenting styles such as harsh, controlling parenting or over indulging styles are a strong contender for NPD. 

People with NPD have an exaggerated sense of self-importance. This grandiosity of self-image leads them to brag about what they do. Their over-inflated needs expect significant amounts of attention and admiration from others. They are unable to or not interested in considering the needs and feelings of others. They also have very unrealistic impressions of themselves; unrealistic expectations when it comes to their talents, popularity, achievements, and capacities. They expect to be treated as special even if they have no achievements which warrant it. 

They believe that they are special (i.e. descendants of kings) and have a high status than anyone else. Hence, only similar others can relate to them or associate them. These expectations of entitlement warrant special treatment. They will insist on the best of everything – their homes, their offices, their cars, where and what they eat and so on. They also expect unquestioning compliance from others. They take advantage of, or harm others to meet their needs. There is no empathy, and no ability or willingness to recognise or accept the needs and feelings of others. They monopolise conversations and look down upon people they perceive as inferior to them. 

People with NPD have significant interpersonal problems. If they are criticised or their unrealistic views are challenged, they become angry, aggressive, and resentful. If they do not receive special treatment as per their expectations, then too, they can become angry and impatient. They can also belittle those who challenge them in order to make themselves appear superior. This is because NPD sufferers have misguided awareness and difficulty in regulating their emotions and behaviour. They also experience problems dealing with stress and change. If they feel they fall short of perfection, there are mood changes and depression. Most NPD sufferers can privately feel insecure, feel shame, and humiliation.

Failed narcissistic leaders

Although it is only a clinician who can make a diagnosis, one does not have to be a trained psychologist or psychiatrist to recognise the manifestation of personality disorders in failed leaders. People seek positions of power but they are not all narcissists. Some do it for very positive reasons such as making people feel better or to reach their full potential. However, narcissists will seek power for the status and attention that go with it. In some cases, those with NPD will seek power to amass wealth, at the cost to the country. Narcissistic leaders take advantage of others to achieve their own ends. They believe that their uniqueness excuses them from the ethical codes that bind others.

They thrive on the pleasure of power, and are overtaken with a lust for more. Power corrupts narcissistic leaders, and absolute power corrupts them absolutely. In T.S. Eliot’s play, The Cocktail Party, which is about martyrdom, Eliot says that “the harm does not interest them. Or they do not see it, or they justify it because they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves” (1949). The current Sri Lankan leadership can be understood within this pathological framework. 

Also, unfortunately, narcissistic leaders thrive in chaotic times. This is because they are strongly attracted to power, and it becomes a vicious cycle. History is replete with modern day narcissistic leaders such as Donald Trump, Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Robert Mugabe, Joseph Stalin, Osama bin Laden, and Kim Jon-un. However, not all narcissists are bad leaders. Psychology literature also shows that some leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller were exceptionally productive. There are others such as Mahatma Gandhi and Franklin Roosevelt who had bold visions and inspired people to accomplish significant things.

Bad leaders and bad followers 

Narcissistic leaders are clever at indoctrinating organisations and groups of people to accept their view. They dislike democratic ideals and will go out of their way to dismantle principles that limit their power (e.g. constitutional amendments, influencing the judiciary, limiting rights of citizens or the freedom of the press). They surround themselves with bad followers who share their autocratic ways, who have no respect for ethical codes of practice or behaviour, and no morality. Basically, they want ‘yes-men’. 

The complicity of followers in any organisation or government will enable narcissistic leaders to exploit and abuse ethical principles and people they rule or govern. Followers can have as much influence on a leader as does a leader on the followers. Followers often abdicate responsibility and become sycophants or enablers. Spouses, families, and relatives are the same. Leaders and their enablers or hench-people often share a “collective madness”, that allow them to uncritically accept common goals and behaviour that are often detrimental to public good. When we apportion blame on narcissistic or corrupt leaders, often we forget the role of the followers or hangers-on. But followers must also share culpability for their leaders’ misdeeds. The followers, be it henchmen or family, are as culpable because of their obedience, lack of dissent, and benefits they share and enjoy. 

Therefore, scholars argue that bad leadership is the result of bad leaders, bad followers, and the context. It is a system. It is the system in which the leader rules, and the followers enable bad leadership. At the same time, empathetic and fair-minded people gradually fall away. They are either removed or they voluntarily step aside, unable to or unwilling to be part of the pathology around them. A historic example was the Nazi takeover of the German government. Closer to home, we have seen examples of constitutionally appointed Ministry Secretaries having to step aside for retired military friends and stooges of the leaders to take over.

Final thoughts 

As an academic psychology professor, I do not attempt to pass diagnosis on any single individual. What I have presented here is an account of what narcissistic leaders are like and how they function. At the same time, it is important to point out that not everyone who becomes part of a pathological government has a psychological disorder. Some people may simply be self-servient, callous, and non-empathic and without a psychological disorder. Others may simply be people with a sense of grandiosity, false (misguided) values, or with a certain type of upbringing. Still others may simply tow the party line either through loyalty, benefits, or out of desire not to ‘rock the boat’. 

What we see in Sri Lanka is the beginning of a pushback. We need the bravery of the people who are protesting, on the streets and in the parliament, to continue. For years we have seen corrupt and narcissistic leaders and their followers crush obstacles that come their way because they disagreed with democratic and constitutional principles. We need leaders who will not callously enjoy water sports when people are suffering. We need leaders who see beyond the bright neon signs in Colombo. We need leaders who will not deny their role in abysmal governance. We need this pushback to regain the democratic values and principles that hold a society in place, that protect a nation from the worst kinds of abuses and excesses of narcissistic and selfish leadership.

(The writer is a former Senior Lecturer, Colombo University.)