Organizational power and politics: The narcissist's advantage?

 

Organizational power and politics: The narcissist's advantage?

Pfeffer, J., & O’Reilly, C. A. (2021, June 18). Organizational Power and Politics: The narcissist’s advantage? Personality and Individual Differences. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886921004384

For today’s blog post I will be talking about the advantage that a narcissist can have in power and politics within an organization. The success in leadership roles of narcissist to positions of power within organizations has caught the attention of the author of this article. As its important that individuals who are narcissist are characterized by many, traits like overconfidence, a strong need for admiration and a sense of entailment, they may not necessarily be more competent or appealing with their colleagues, but they seem to excel in reaching leadership roles. We will dive into a study that sheds light on why narcissists often achieve career success, despite their questionable performance, by exploring their adeptness at organizational political power.

 

Based on the article the explanation for the success of narcissists in the corporate hierarchy lies in their willingness to engage in political activities. The study discussed highlights that narcissists are more interested in and skilled at organizational politics. These politics involve various influence tactics that can lead to interpersonal power and influence. For instance, narcissists often employ tactics like over-claiming credit for successes, relentless self-promotion, and even intimidation to assert their dominance. They may resort to unethical behavior to achieve and maintain power, as research suggests that this can enhance their perceived power.

 

While their willingness to employ aggressive political tactics is a significant factor in their career success, the study also points out the influence of guilt proneness. Guilt proneness is a personality trait that reflects a person's propensity to experience negative feelings when they believe they have done wrong. Those with high guilt proneness tend to adhere to social norms and ethical standards. On the other hand, individuals with low guilt proneness are more likely to engage in deviant behaviors. Narcissism is negatively associated with guilt proneness, and this lack of guilt can enable narcissists to be more effective in organizational politics, as they are less constrained by social norms.

 

Personal Thoughts:

In conclusion, the success of narcissists reaching leadership positions, despite their potential lack of competence, can be associated to their proficiency in organizational politics. Their willingness to employ a wide range of influence tactics, even those that violate social norms, gives them an edge in the corporate world. Understanding the interplay between narcissistic traits, organizational politics, ethical conduct, and adaptability can be valuable for a future career’s success. Self-awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses in leadership traits can guide an individual’s professional development. Furthermore, using an approach that combines competence with political acumen and emotional intelligence, can better position yourself for leadership roles and overall career advancement, aligning you with the ever-changing dynamics of the workplace.

Darvin Crisostomo