Are all Leaders Narcissists? (KEW Episode 124)

The words ‘leader’ and ‘narcissist’ bug me.

I think these two words are overused. I also don’t think we really know what they mean anymore. Maybe we never did.

Maybe the words have been usurped by the very people defined by them.

Let’s start with leadership. What is this, exactly?

If you look on LinkedIn (which I did, then I quit) you will see ‘leadership’ as being a top-tier achievement. The word is thrown around to mean everything that’s great about the world. Everything that’s great about an INDIVIDUAL can somehow be summed up by leadership. The closer you are to being a leader, the better person you are, the more money you can make, and the greater follower count you are sure to acquire.

In other words, leadership seems to be a word that quantifies or categorizes status.

And if you’ve been around here very long you know how I feel about status.

If leaders are defined by status, how do they get it? Is it taken or bestowed? Are leaders elected, chosen, appointed? What makes a good leader?

Certainly leaders must be confident. And strong? Convincing? Manipulative? It’s a slippery slope, isn’t it?

Eventually, the characteristics that describe leaders merge on another one of my least favorite words: narcissism.

Who is a narcissist? Everyone? It sure seems that way. The common knee-jerk explanation for anyone who is deemed ‘bad’ in any way is that they are a narcissist. Kind of like one of the best things a person can be is a ‘natural leader’.

I think we have come to mistake confidence for leadership and narcissism.

The difference between narcissism and confidence is empathy.

Leadership without empathy is fascist.

I hope you enjoy the episode and the rest of my foray into this mess.

Podcast audio: https://pdcn.co/e/https://chtbl.com/track/CGDA9D/www.buzzsprout.com/530563/12821945-kew-episode-124-are-all-leaders-narcissists.mp3?download=true

YouTube video: https://youtu.be/ZcPUcDTKQec