Why are grandiose narcissists more effective at organizational politics? Means, motive, and opportunity

Authored by sciencedirect.com and submitted by mvea

Research over the past decade has shown that grandiose narcissists are often successful at attaining leadership positions in organizations. However, there is no evidence that narcissists lead higher performing firms, and while they see themselves as more competent leaders, there is no evidence for this, either. In fact, research shows that narcissistic leaders have numerous negative effects on the entities they lead. This raises a question: Why are narcissists so successful in attaining leadership positions? We suggest that the defining characteristics of grandiose narcissism (grandiosity, self-confidence, entitlement, and a willingness to exploit others for one's own self-interest) may make them more effective organizational politicians than those who are lower in narcissism. We report the results of three studies that show: (1) those higher in narcissism are more likely than those who are lower to see organizations in political terms (opportunity), (2) they are more willing to engage in organizational politics (motive), and (3) they are more skilled political actors (means). We discuss the implications of these results for organizational dynamics and career processes.

Barmacist on January 3rd, 2021 at 16:06 UTC »

Your politicians are not the most qualified for the job but merely the most talented vote getters.

Useful-Perspective on January 3rd, 2021 at 14:30 UTC »

Two sentence title to effectively describe the primary problem with most of our federal, state, and local governments. Bravo!

drpinkcream on January 3rd, 2021 at 13:50 UTC »

There is no shortcoming you can have as a person that cannot be overcome with sufficient charisma.