Clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Ramani Durvasula has spent the majority of her career working on the impact of narcissism and high-conflict, antagonistic personality styles on human relationships, mental health, and societal expectations.

She has also shared her work with some of the world’s most popular podcasts including Diary of a CEO and Feel Better, Live More, as well as interviewing prominent names on her own platform Navigating Narcissism. Next month Dr Ramani will be discussing ‘Empathy vs Narcissism in Leadership’ at the AllBright townhouse, so we sat down with her to delve a little deeper into how narcissism presents in leaders.

What is a narcissistic leader and how can we spot them?

“A leader with narcissistic traits and behaviours – and the way this shows up in leadership may include lack of self-awareness, abusive or dismissive behaviour towards employees or those served by the organisation,” says Dr Durvasula. “Narcissistic leaders by definition create climates of imbalance and injustice, that are inequitable – they play favourites, advancement and recognition are not always clearly linked to performance, it can be a climate of fear that vacillates in line with the narcissistic leader’s behaviour. They often create organisations characterised by betrayal – trust is harmed, people often feel gaslighted and deceived, there is a lack of safety in the workplace.”

Dr Durvasula does remind us that narcissism is the constellation of low empathy, entitlement, grandiosity, an excessive need for admiration, validation and power grabs. The narcissistic leader is also quite insecure at times, and if things aren’t going the way they want – they may lash out at employees and colleagues. People feel they need to “take care” of the narcissistic leader and give them “supply” to appease them or to stay in their good graces.

The link between narcissism and leadership

When we look at some of the top leaders in business, politics and other prominent industries that are labelled as ‘successful’, we often see the same characteristics time and time again. Arrogance. Ruthlessness. Selfishness. Figures such as Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos come to mind. These characteristics are often praised as traits that are necessary in leadership.

However, Dr Durvasula fervently disagrees with this, stating that, in fact, “there is research suggesting that empathy and compassion foster strong leaders and safe workplaces. I understand why people may feel this sentiment, that the only way to survive in the workplace is to be selfish, Machiavellian and ruthless, and certainly that can work in the short term in certain organisations and in certain industries. While you do need to read the room to be an effective leader in some situations, and may have to be guarded and strategic, this does not have to imply a lack of empathy or awareness of yourself or others.”

The prevalence of narcissistic leaders may actually be down to narcissistic people being drawn to leadership. “Narcissistic people like to be the boss, to be in charge, to get the validation that leadership brings – they don’t want the headaches, but they want the perks.”

Many narcissistic leaders, such as the ones named above, are beloved by many, so how do they accumulate such adoration and success? Dr Durvasula shares that the grandiosity of these individuals can translate into charismatic leadership and innovation. “They are dreamers and may have almost fantastical hopes and ideas that can sometimes come to fruition,” says Dr Durvasula. “The narcissistic leader’s charisma, charm, grandiosity, obsessive work-styles (sometimes not always), can mean that they may look like a strong leader from the outside, and may result in short term wins.”

In a world where profits are valued above all else, these types of leaders are prepared to “do what it takes'' to get the job done. Dr Durvasula explains that narcissistic leaders are not slowed down by empathy or concern for the workforce so they will be willing to engage in cost-cutting measures such as layoffs or compensation approaches that will feed the bottom line. She says “Personally – I don’t think this is good or best leadership per se, but it does drive profits and desired outcomes.” However, Dr Durvasula concludes that ultimately a leader guides people – and in the long term a narcissistic person cannot do that.

Dr Duvasula’s years of research into narcissism and how it presents itself in leaders shows how recognising narcissistic leadership is crucial for safeguarding organisational health and promoting positive workplace dynamics. Although it may not be recognised in the short term, this will ultimately lead to long-term business success. By identifying and addressing narcissistic leadership behaviours early on, organisations can mitigate the risk of toxic work environments and cultivate environments that prioritise empathy, collaboration, and long-term success.