Leadership attracts narcissists like moths to a flame. They love to be in charge, enjoy high social status, and be the center of attention. Therefore, narcissists are likely to be over represented in leadership positions. You may have dealt with a narcissistic boss in your career.

So I thought I’d discuss the pros and cons of narcissistic leaders. Because, believe it or not, they do possess some of these traits. But obviously, they also have their downsides. Feel free to share your experiences in the comments below…

Pros – Less Risk-Averse

Narcissists are generally more willing to take risks. They’re more impulsive. They believe they’re lucky because they’re so special.

A willingness to take risks can pay off when running a business. As the saying goes, “He who dares, wins.”

Most of us are naturally very cautious. We’re designed to live in more dangerous times. So, our caution can sometimes be our undoing. We miss out unnecessarily.

Related : 14 Ways How Narcissists Are Paranoid

Narcissists’ willingness to take risks gives them an advantage in some situations. They dare to stand where others don’t. Sometimes their gambles pay off handsomely.

Flaw – They Take Too Many Risks!

However, this can also be a flaw. Many narcissists take too many risks.

A narcissistic leader may take some risks that pay off. They gain more confidence and take even more risks.

Convinced they’re lucky, they continually take risks. And they take even more risks. They don’t know when to stop. Until their luck inevitably runs out.

This can lead to a meteoric rise, followed by a massive crash. Because luck only pays off to a certain extent. As Murphy’s Law states, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” #Pros – They Can Be Bad People

Bad leaders often strive to win the favor of their employees. This prevents them from making difficult decisions and diminishes the respect of their subordinates.

Oversight narcissists are often willing to make unpopular decisions, especially if they are in their own or personal interest. This creates a powerful leadership style, as people fear and respect them.

If a leader is weak, their leadership ability is compromised. The business may deviate from its course, like a deserted ship.

However, it’s worth noting that some narcissistic leaders desire to be liked by their employees. Think of David Brent from “The Office”! So this can also be a reason for their failure if they seek positive support from their employees.

Cons – They May Be Bad People!

The issue of bad people can get out of hand, as some narcissists abuse their position.

A narcissistic leader may bully employees. They demonstrate a lack of understanding. They make decisions that harm employees and the business simply to demonstrate their power.

Narcissistic leaders may create toxic environments, rewarding toxic people and behaviors, while punishing and bullying compassionate employees.

Related : Why Do Narcissists Start Fights For No Reason?

Over time, non-toxic employees leave and are replaced by more toxic ones. This gradually transforms the workforce into a highly toxic unit, making high-quality work performance nearly impossible.

Advocates – Think Big

Ego plays a major role in most narcissistic personalities. And with ego comes big plans.

In business, you rarely exceed your vision. You either achieve it or fall short. So, if you have big plans, you usually have a higher ceiling on potential accomplishments.

Narcissistic leaders often dare to think big—very big! This gives them a greater opportunity to take their business to new heights.

Drawback – They can destroy employee morale

Narcissistic leaders are known for accepting credit for success and blaming others for failure.

Such narcissistic behaviors weaken team morale, creating disharmony among the workforce, harming the quality of work, and damaging the company.

Low employee morale can lead to staff shortages due to increased absenteeism and turnover. If employee turnover is high, this leads to numerous shortcomings, as more employees need to be trained, even with less experienced staff.

Pros – They can be charismatic and inspiring

Narcissistic leaders are often adept at attracting others and can be great motivators through their inspiring talks and ideas.

Narcissists are adept at manipulation, and this helps them motivate teams because they know which buttons to push to achieve desired results.

Flaw – Poor Listening

Narcissistic leaders are often preoccupied with their own plans and ideas and fail to tap into the talents available to them.

Narcissists often believe their ideas are the best—even when they clearly aren’t, simply because they came up with them. They often refuse to accept better ideas from their subordinates.

Narcissists take criticism harshly. Some are easily irritable, and they perceive any disagreement as a slap in the face.

This often leads teams to be afraid to point out problems or offer better ideas, putting them at a disadvantage compared to collaborative teams.

Flaw – Lack of Empathy

A lack of empathy can help narcissistic leaders handle difficult tasks, such as firing lazy employees or demanding more from them, because they don’t stay up at night worrying about the side effects.

Related : 14 Things That Scare Narcissists

Leaders with high empathy may avoid this distress by keeping troublesome employees on the payroll, allowing problems to persist for years rather than eliminating them at their root.

Cons – Lack of Empathy

However, narcissistic leaders’ lack of empathy often causes problems, especially when dealing with people.

They may not understand when employees are struggling with personal issues and may expect them to behave like machines, not human beings. Narcissists often view people as objects to be used, and employees may sense this and resent it.

Narcissists may also fail to understand their customers because they struggle to see things from other people’s perspectives, which can result in a poor experience for them.

Conclusion

Although narcissistic leaders have both positive and negative aspects, I believe their negatives outweigh the positives. This is especially true if you are an employee.

Narcissistic leaders can be detrimental to your mental health because they control you and you cannot avoid them.

Narcissistic leaders often encourage narcissistic behaviors in others and reward narcissistic employees, turning the workplace into a toxic landscape.

If you have a narcissistic boss, it’s best to look for another job, as your mental health is at stake, and that’s a high price to pay.