Narcissism

With only a short time to go before Reality Check for Leaders is published, I want to talk about one aspect of the book I had not until recently considered. As other people read the galley proof, the one consistent comment I get is that the approach developed would be useful in a number of formal and informal circumstances.

For example, I deal in the book with a concept centered on the idea that people pursue personal payoffs. An extension of that is the idea that leaders in all aspects of life have to face the sometimes difficult reality that some people never grow up. Freud called them narcissists, I call them self-centered. Whatever the term, people placed in a position of leadership should understand that in some instances the individuals they are dealing with will take instant gratification over any long term but delayed gain every time.