Echo and the Narcissistic Leader

We seem to be predisposed to choose as leaders; the physically attractive, the charming and the seemingly self-confident. Many times, however, these outwardly physical qualities mask latent traits of self-absorption, egotism and the potential for oppressiveness and the misuse of power. Wherever this genre of leadership is unveiled it can be categorized as Narcissistic Leadership.

The narcissistic leader is power hungry perhaps driven by the need to compensate for inner powerlessness and lack of self‐esteem.  Compensatory strategizing is key to this type of leadership operations.  As part of the compensatory package, this type of leader self-promotes distinctiveness and evaluative positivity by inflating achievements and works to devalue the worth and competence of those perceived as threats. With boldness these bosses self-categorize as visionaries and transformational leaders, yet they disallow equitable exchange of information among their team or else manipulate information to discredit others to promote their own ego. The narcissistic leader cannot appreciate that there is a direct relationship between quality of leader- follower exchange and productivity.

Death arises with the ascendance of Narcissus bosses for they like Narcissus can only see themselves. For an individual to allow integrity to get in the way of bowing to the manipulative exploitation of the narcissist is to knowingly commit career suicide. Weak others quickly learn that they must prove their undying love for the Narcissus they must sacrifice their integrity and begin on an emergent journey to Echo status. All soon learn that nothing and no one gets in the way of this type of leader, not race nor homogeneity of any kind; for class ascendancy is the grail. Meanwhile the Narcissus boss would only allow for a scant acknowledgment of the Echo group who must walk on eggshells to avoid getting in the way of this Narcissus as he/she reflects on and perceives of his/her own self-importance. The narcissistic leader must see only see herself/himself reflected in the pool.

The above treatise throws light on the poem (Aggressive Ethnicities” shared below  from my book Splendor from Ashes

Aggressive Ethnicities (2013)

Aggressive ethnicities,

not race but class,

jump-starts this vendetta.

Cain-envy, that’s the story.

Crying shame, Abel’s not to blame.

You are your own fierce pain.

Cataclysmic sounds

scream from your underworld;

guttural cultural sounds

destroy, in any event

stifle the great.

Camaraderie linguistics,

collaborative putrefying hums

imminent birth abort, distort,

noblesse threat to crush.

47

Ghetto halo winging it,

competencies unimpressive,

etymologies of insecurity—

unquestionably, Mafioso eccezionale.

As Narcissus, prostituting other love for self-love,

your reflection in the pool must see,

else soulless gaze transforms to worthless stones.

I, Perseus, have you pegged.