Most people have probably experienced bosses who think the world revolves around them. Interestingly, research has shown that narcissistic leaders can be both good and bad for organizations. On the one hand, they can be charismatic and bold; on the other hand, they can be self-centered and potentially abusive. In this article, researchers (Liu et al., 2024) examined how narcissistic leaders can affect new hires in the workplace.
THE RESEARCH STUDY
The researchers collected data at four time points from 151 pairs of leaders and newcomers across six large Chinese companies. The researchers found that when leaders viewed newcomers as potential sources of admiration, they were less likely to view them as threats. This led to better relationships between leaders and newcomers, and higher job satisfaction and performance from newcomers. This finding was especially true when leaders viewed newcomers as highly similar to themselves.
On the other hand, if newcomers were viewed as potential rivals, then leaders were more likely to view them as threats. In this case, leaders had worse relationships with the newcomers, leading to poorer performance and lower job satisfaction among newcomers. Once again, this finding was especially true when leaders viewed newcomers as highly similar to themselves.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Narcissistic leaders can be a double-edged sword in the workplace. Organizations who want to utilize the results of this study should consider doing the following:
- Prioritize relationship building between leaders and newcomers during the onboarding process. This may prevent narcissistic leaders from viewing newcomers as potential threats and lead to more positive long-term outcomes.
- Implement leadership training programs that focus on social skills and communication. This may help leaders manage their own narcissistic thoughts and tendencies.
- Utilize feedback from multiple sources when evaluating candidates and new hires. This can help to eliminate any potential bias from narcissistic leaders.
Liu, H., Liu, Y., Chiang, J. T. J., Wang, S., & Wang, H. (2024). When self-love is threatened: Adopting a dual-type view to understand leader narcissism and its impacts on LMX and newcomer work outcomes. Personnel Psychology, 77, 411-439.
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