Walk into any high-performing organisation, and you’ll likely find a leader with that special combination of vision, charisma, and absolute certainty that draws people in. Behind many success stories stands someone who profoundly believes in their vision and capabilities. What you’re witnessing is often the power of narcissism in leadership – a complicated force that’s simultaneously essential and potentially destructive.
A Necessary Ingredient
Narcissism in leadership isn’t the villain it’s often portrayed to be, and a healthy dose of narcissism is often a prerequisite for leadership. Think about it – you need the genuine conviction that you can inspire others and the confidence to step up and lead. That unwavering belief in your vision and capabilities gives followers something solid to rally behind. Narcissism also helps leaders stand firm when doubts arise and convince others that yes, this direction is worth pursuing.
When the Medicine Becomes Poison
Here’s where it gets tricky. Narcissism is like a powerful elixir – the right amount helps, but too much becomes toxic. Like any powerful force, narcissism exists on a spectrum with dramatically different manifestations at each end.
In the Shadow Side of Leadership, Manfred Kets de Vries distinguishes between two types of narcissistic leaders:
On one side, we find constructive narcissists – leaders whose self-confidence enables rather than undermines. These individuals typically received age-appropriate frustration in childhood and enough challenge to develop resilience without overwhelming them. They’ve cultivated positive self-esteem balanced with genuine empathy. They pursue greatness not just for personal glory but to benefit others, and they consult with their teams before making major decisions.
On the other end sit reactive narcissists. These leaders often experienced childhood environments with too much, too little, or inconsistent stimulation. As adults, they carry a legacy of insecurity they’ve learned to mask with grandiosity. They become fixated on power, prestige, and superiority. Life becomes a zero-sum game where they must win at all costs. They resist sharing power, struggle with criticism, and may respond with anger when challenged or when things do not go their way.
Impact on the Organisation
The effects of a reactive narcissistic leader ripple throughout an organisation. Such leaders create environments where:
- “Yes-people” thrive, while honest and critical voices are silenced
- Blame shifts downward, while credit moves upward
- Reality-testing becomes compromised as leaders, in an echo chamber, hear only what they want to hear
- Leadership tantrums and outbursts intimidate and bully followers into childlike behaviour
- A “hall of mirrors” effect develops where leaders and followers reinforce each other’s distorted views
Over time, these dynamics can create what Kets de Vries calls “neurotic organisations” – where the leader’s personal style creates dysfunctional strategies, structures, and decision-making patterns.
Supporting Development: A Coach’s Perspective
If you’re working with a narcissistic leader (or are one yourself), here are some developmental approaches that can help:
- First, awareness must be cultivated indirectly. Direct confrontation rarely works with narcissistic tendencies. Reflective questions work better: “How might your team interpret that decision?” or “What other perspectives could add value here?” These questions invite curiosity about others’ viewpoints without triggering defensiveness.
- Second, development should be framed in terms of outcomes, not personal flaws. “This approach might help you get even better results from your team” can prove more effective than suggesting a leader needs to change themselves. Narcissistic individuals respond better to opportunities for enhancement than to criticism.
- Third, structured reality-testing mechanisms make a difference. Regular anonymous feedback, external consultants reviewing major decisions, and board check-ins can provide objective data that’s harder to dismiss than individual opinions.
The Path Forward
The journey toward more balanced leadership is neither quick nor linear. Narcissistic patterns develop over decades and don’t transform overnight. Under stress, leaders often revert to entrenched behaviours. However, with consistent support and motivation, more balanced leadership styles can emerge.
The breakthrough often comes when leaders discover that appropriate vulnerability – terrifying for a narcissist – strengthens their position rather than weakening it. Taking responsibility and inviting honest input creates stronger teams and better decisions.
This reveals an important truth: narcissism isn’t something to eliminate from leadership but rather to harness and balance. The goal isn’t to strip away the conviction and self-confidence that make leaders effective, but to complement those qualities with genuine curiosity, appropriate vulnerability, and respect for others’ perspectives.
The healthiest leaders maintain this delicate balance – enough narcissism to believe in their vision and inspire others, but enough coupled with humility to hear difficult truths and adapt when necessary.
Want to dive deeper into this topic?
Here’s a list of further reading that you may find interesting…
Narcissistic Leadership: Narcissus on the Couch by Manfred Kets de Vries (2025), Routledge, First Edition.
Star Performers: Paradoxes wrapped up in enigmas by Manfred Kets de Vries (2012), Organizational Dynamics, Vol 41, Issue 3.
Coaching the Narcissistic Executive to Move Beyond Black or White by Manfred Kets de Vries & Oriane Kets de Vries (2018)
Coaching Challenging Executives by Manfred Kets de Vries and Caroline Rook in Mastering Executive Coaching (2018), Jonathan Passmore and Bryan Underhill, (Eds.) Routledge