Narcissism in the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Narcissism in the Workplace Essay I. Introduction and Purpose Having an encouraging self-attitude, being self-assured, and having high self-esteem are worthwhile attributes in both work and personal life; some take these positive attributes to the extreme and become self-regarding, self-adoring, egocentric, and show little empathy for the problems and concerns of others. These people can be considered narcissists, and they can be especially problematic in business settings. Narcissists in work organizations, I believe, are more problematic than beneficial. They tend to cause problems in the workplace due to their toxic personalities. The purpose of this research paper is to prove my point that narcissists are more harmful in a workplace environment than helpful. I will point out the failures of companies due to narcissistic leaders. Although there are companies that are successful who have had a narcissistic leader such as Jack Welch and his company General Electric, it will not be covered in this paper. Secondly, I will make the point that narcissists as leaders are toxic for companies due to their relationship patterns and how it can hurt the business. Freud’s three types of personalities relate to interactions between people that helps further prove the point that narcissists are not beneficial in workplace environments. Thirdly, I will discuss possible techniques to cope with narcissistic leaders and how employees can get their opinions across to their leaders. II. Failures due to Narcissistic Leaders As narcissists become progressively self-assured, they act more impulsively. They feel free of constrictions, and their ideas and beliefs flourish. They believe they’re invincible, which further inspires followers’ enthusiasm and feeds into feelings of grandiosity. One example of a company’s failure due to narcissism is Pehr Gyllenhammar and Volvo. He had a vision that attracted a broad international audience—a plan to transform the industrial workplace by substituting the dehumanizing assembly line mimicked in Chaplin’s Modern Times. His wildly popular vision called for team-based craftsmanship. Model factories were built and publicized to international praise. But his success in pushing through these dramatic changes also sowed the seeds for his downfall. Gyllenhammar started to feel he could ignore the concerns of his operational managers. He pursued chancy and expensive new business deals, which he publicized on television and in the press. On one level, you can credit Gyllenhammar’s falling out of touch with his workforce simply due to faulty strategy. But it is also possible to blame it to his narcissistic personality. His overestimation of himself led him to believe that others would want him to be the leader of a worldwide enterprise. In turn, these fantasies led him to pursue a partnership with Renault, which was extremely unpopular with Swedish employees. Because Gyllenhammar was deaf to complaints about Renault, Swedish managers were forced to take their case public. In the end, shareholders aggressively rejected Gyllenhammar’s plan, leaving him with no option but to resign. At the University of Amsterdam, a study was taken by Nevicka Babora to determine whether or not narcissists make for good leaders. The study recruited 150 participants that were divided into groups of three. One person was randomly assigned to be the group’s leader; all were told they could contribute advice, but that the leader was responsible for making the decision. Then they undertook a group task: choosing a job candidate. Of 45 items of information about the candidate, some were given to all three, and some to only one of the participants. The experiment was designed so that using only the information all three were privy to, the group would opt for a lesser candidate. Sharing all the information that was given would lead to the best choice. After the interviews, the participants completed questionnaires. The leaders’ questions measured narcissism; the others assessed the leaders’ authority and effectiveness. As expected, the group members rated the most narcissistic leaders as most effective. But they were wrong. In fact, groups led by the greatest egotists chose the worse candidate for the job. Barbora said â€Å"The narcissistic leaders had a very negative effect on their performance. They inhibited the communication because of self-centeredness and authoritarianism.† III. Narcissistic Relationships in the Workplace As narcissists move higher up in position in a company, they are more likely to maintain relationships with coworkers who are willing to conform to their ideas and motives. Some people believe narcissists benefit the workplace environment because they are good at making relationships quickly with groups of people by charming people with their charismatic personality at the first initial meeting. They also benefit the company by them willing, and able to make whatever personal sacrifices are necessary to gain reputation and position. Taken to a certain degree, these narcissistic traits are valuable to the person and the organization. They signal â€Å"leader.† Yet, as Manfred Kets de Vries has said, â€Å"narcissism is a strange thing, a double-edged sword. Having either too much or too little of it can throw a person off balance.† Narcissists will often become obsessed with gaining power and control. They tend to make decisions on impulse, with no second thoughts, leading to potential problems. Narcissists have trouble working with others and they often do not take blame for their mistakes and they do not like to share credit for successes. Leaders with a narcissistic personality often like to surround themselves with an unquestioning loyal and uncritical staff because they do not like to feel threatened by a colleague. Also, they exploit others; forming relationships only with those he or she feels will advance his or her goals and self-esteem. Jon Carlzon, former CEO of the Scandinavian airline SAS, is a textbook example of how a narcissist’s weakness can cut short a brilliant career. Carlzon compared the ideal organization to the Brazilian soccer team; there would be no fixed roles, only innovative plays. When another input of thought of a more military form of organization was added that disagreed with Carlzon’s belief, he stated, â€Å"Well, that may be true, if your goal is to shoot your customers.† He did not engage in serious dialogue with his subordinates, displaying his trait of self-interest. He also ignored the issue of high costs, even when others pointed out SAS could not compete without improving productivity. He spent tons of money investing in unnecessary items right before his company filed for bankruptcy. Carlzon’s self-image became so enormously inflated that his feet left the ground. Freud: The Three Types of Personalities Freud identified three main types of personalities: erotic, obsessive, and narcissistic. Most of us have elements of all three; therefore, we are all somewhat narcissistic. One type of personality will dominate over the other, making us react differently to success and failure. i. Erotics tend to be the compassionate and caring. They care about being loved and believe that it is most important. Erotics are dependent on people they fear will stop loving them. Erotic’s are generally teachers, social workers, and nurses; positions which help others in need. Erotics do not make the best leaders because they try to avoid conflict as much as possible and they make people dependent on them. According to Freud, they are the outer-directed people. ii. Compared to erotics, obsessives are more inner-directed. These people tend to be more self-reliant and conscientious. They make the most effective managers in a workplace environment due to their ability to create and maintain order. They are constantly looking for ways to help people listen and understand better to resolve conflicts and find win-win opportunities. Obsessives want to constantly improve due to their conscience and their sense of moral improvement. The best obsessives communicate effectively and set very high standards. They make sure that all procedures are followed according to plan and within the budget. The most productive obsessives tend to be great mentors and team players. iii. The third type of personality is narcissistic. Narcissists are not easily impressed and independent. In business, they are driven by their innovation to gain power and glory. The best narcissists go above and beyond being experts in their industries and they crave the knowledge to know everything about the companies and products. Compared to erotics, they want to be admired not loved. They are not afraid to express their feelings and put others back in pursuit of their goals. At the moment of success, narcissists are at the greatest risk of isolating themselves out of all three personality types. Narcissists constantly look for enemies due to their independence and aggressiveness. The most toxic relationships to be made are with narcissists out of the three personality types because they are the most unstable. Generally, a relationship with a narcissist is short term because of their fear of having someone be more superior than them and due to their independence. IV. How to Cope Narcissists are not likely to realize they do not have narcissistic personality disorder nor do they know how to react when they sense they are being targeted. The best thing for a person to do in order to work well with a narcissist is to follow along with the narcissist’s ideas or plans. The best way to determine if a leader is a narcissist is finding certain qualities that narcissists display. If he or she talks frequently about him or herself, and constantly uses the word â€Å"I† and bullies and abuses those who work for him and intimidates others to get his way, these are signs of a narcissist. Also, another sign would be in public if he or she presents himself or herself as patient, congenial, and confident; however, in private is smug, arrogant, snobbish, and patronizing to subordinates and coworkers. The biggest situation you should try to avoid is not to confront the destructive narcissist directly. Confrontation with them can lead to rage and a feeling of being attacked, causing a highly malicious response. Whatever happens, stay as calm as possible and behave in an admiring manner to calm the narcissist down. Never show that you are afraid of a narcissist for they will try to use it to think that you are of lower authority than them. Get everything you can in writing and keep notes of things that narcissists may lie, bluff, threaten, and deceive about. Narcissists are likely to apologize when they have no one on their side if a mist of an argument or disagreement. They will confess their wrong doings and ask for forgiveness however, they will not mean or believe what he or she is saying. Narcissists rarely see their wrong-doings until they have no one that is admiring them, so they may fake their emotions in order for the person to feel guilty and put the blame for the situation on themselves. This also relates to narcissists taking back the things they say in order for themselves to get out of tight situations. Expect the destructive narcissist to break contracts and agreements. Protect yourself emotionally and financially from betrayal. Have a backup strategy should the destructive narcissist go back on his word, which he or she probably will. V. Conclusion Narcissistic leaders are bad for companies due to their constant admiration of themselves and inability to take criticism well. They listen to only the information they seek and they don’t learn easily from others. If a company is at its highest stress level, adding a narcissist to the stress load may cause the company failure. Works Cited Boyett, Joseph H., Ph.D. Surviving the Destructive Narcissistic Leader. Apr. 2006. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. Bruner, Robert, and Robert Spekman. Alliances: Lessons from Volvo- Renault. 2 Apr. 1998. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. Grunes, Dennis. MODERN TIMES (Charles Chaplin, 1936). MODERN TIMES (Charles Chaplin, 1936). 06 Nov. 2011. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. http://grunes.wordpress.com/2007/11/06/modern-times-charles-chaplin-1936/. Konnikova, Maria. The Narcissistic Leader: Not as Good as He (Or You) May Think. 24 Oct. 2011. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. http://www.maccoby.com/Articles/NarLeaders.shtml. Maccoby, Michael. Harvard Business Review. Proc. of Weaknesses of the Narcissistic Leader. 02 Aug. 2006. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. http://www.maccoby.com/Articles/NarLeaders.shtml. Maccoby, Michael. Narcissistic Leaders: The Incredile Pros, the Inevitable Cons. Jan. 2004. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. Nevicka, Barbora. Narcissists Look Like Good Leaders—But They Aren’t! Association for Psychological Science RSS. 09 Aug. 2011 . Web. 26 Nov. 2012. http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/narcissists-look-like-good-leadersbut-they-arent.html. [ 1 ]. Grunes, Dennis. MODERN TIMES (Charles Chaplin, 1936). [ 2 ]. Bruner, Robert, and Robert Spekman. Alliances: Lessons [ 3 ]. Nevicka, Barbora. Narcissists Look Like Good Leaders—But They Aren’t! [ 4 ]. Quoted in Andrea Giampetro-Meyer, Timothy Brown, S. J M. Neil Browne, and Nancy Kubasek, â€Å"Do We Really Want More Leaders in Business?† Journal of Business Ethics, 17, no. 15, (November 1998): 1730. [ 5 ]. Maccoby, Michael. Harvard Business Review. The Rise and Fall of a Narcissist [ 6 ]. Maccoby, Michael. Harvard Business Review. Proc. of Weaknesses of the Narcissistic [ 7 ]. Boyett, Joseph H., Ph.D. Surviving The Destructive Narcissistic Leader.

Location of Selves and Reorganization of Reality :: Identity Reality Self Essays

Location of Selves and Reorganization of Reality We perceive limits in our culture of information—our postmodern world. Limits in defining a simple, modernist self are the same limits that govern the ownership of land and of ideas (hence, the copyright). Defining a person in strict terms of a single identity allows self the capacity for ownership. People feel that they have a handle over things if they know themselves in terms of a concise identity. Even more, people can be assured that they are normal or, further, powerful and significant, if they have certain â€Å"desirable† traits that make up their true selves. This sense of self causes the identity crisis, insecurities, and self-hate just as much if not more so than it gives people an assurance of knowing who â€Å"they† are. The cyborg enacts the anticipated demolition of such reducing mirages. Cyborgs defy traditional classification, thus controllability. This threatens those in power, and it threatens those that enjoy the limits once in place. While this idea must seem to crush the strength of groups that have been defined by a unifying trait such as â€Å"male†, it really allows for far more possible groups to unify—groups that may have experienced turmoil and were unable to be classified by one word, like â€Å"woman†. Simple classifications that have discounted other portions of one’s unique experience will no longer limit or detract from one’s multiple selfhood. Then, cyborgs/selves can explore the self of choice to maximize their experience in accordance with their environment. Finally, the quests for self as authentic will no longer persist. The authenticity of human interaction could just be a falsity. Behaviors are, after all, only as genuine or definitive as you imagine them to be. One can shape their experiences, or at least their perceptions of them, uniquely. [See Chapter 5, Speaking into the Air] Thus, the need for human contact could be viewed as another myth. People can fall in love over the Internet. The orgasm that one has in a simulated situation, like phone sex or cyber sex, is just as â€Å"real† as the one he/she would have had if the big fat hairy woman on the other end of the wire (and the orgasm) really was the skinny sexy blond thought to be communicating.

Factors affecting growth and development Essay

Introduction There are numerous factors that could potentially affect how an individual grows and develops. As Beyoncà © was growing up she may or may not have experienced factors that could influence on how she lives and what her future plans out to be. In this assignment, I will explain different situations for 5 life factors that may determine how someone lives. One of these is the biological factor. This is anything that affects how someone develops for example FAS. The second factor is environmental, this affects how someone develops due to their surroundings e.g. someone who is asthmatic. Thirdly is the socioeconomic factor, which according to Classroom.synonym.com (2017) â€Å"are the social and economic experiences and realities that help mold one’s personality, attitudes, and lifestyle. The factor can also define refine regions and neighborhoods.† Next is the genetic factor this factor is based on things that affect an individual’s development because of their DNA. Finally is the lifestyle factor this is where the life that someone lives can affect how they develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. Biological A biological factor that I would be explaining is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), which ultimately is an avoidable condition caused by the heavy consumption of alcohol that the pregnant mother is in taking. When an individual is pregnant the baby depends on them to be able to survive and grow, this process is done from the mother passing nutrients and oxygen from her blood, into the unborn baby’s placenta which then travels to the baby’s bloodstream. The mother will also help with the removal of waste and CO from the unborn baby. When a mother drinks alcohol it gets into her bloodstream which then eventually will pass through the placenta, which separates the mothers and baby’s blood, then entering the baby’s bloodstream. Mackintosh. M (2017) says that â€Å"drinking alcohol in the first three months is linked to miscarriage and birth abnormalities.† This is due to the high rate of alcohol in the baby’s blood which reduces the rate of oxygen ca using hindering the development of the baby’s lungs, heart and brain. There are many reasons on why someone may want to drink alcohol whilst pregnant. One reason could be that they are addicted to alcohol meaning that they can’t usually stop without the help of other people. Another reason could be that the mother just simply is totally clueless of her pregnancy, therefore, has carried on as normal for the first couple of months of the pregnancy. However, for many of the different reasons, there are people who are willing to help to ensure the safety of you and the unborn baby. An individual living with FAS will normally have visible physical effects such as distinctive facial features which include: a small head, narrow eyes and a smooth philtrum (the area between the nose and top lip). However, these features are more apparent when they are younger. It is known for some people who have FAS to have learning difficulties such as such as problems with thinking, speech, social skills, timekeeping, math’s or memory and mood, attention or behavioral problems – such as autism-like behavior or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). (NHS.UK, 2017) According to psychiatry.emory.edu (2017), â€Å"Children and adolescent with FAS and other alcohol-related disorders may be developmentally delayed, have mental retardation or have problems with specific learning differences or disabilities. These conditions are often associated with social, emotional, behavioral, and academic problems.† When these and other deficits are not identified early in life, children may be viewed as being deliberately â€Å"bad† or having â€Å"emotional† problems when, in fact, they are unable to act in ways that caregivers ask of them. Such labels can be very damaging to self-esteem.† Environmental There are many environmental factors that could affect an individual’s development, physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially. For this factor, I will be explaining the effects of ‘Damp and Overcrowded Housing’. Dampness in buildings are mainly caused by the condensation of moisture in the air, the moisture settles and create perfect environments for bacteria such as fungi to grow. For example, If the mold/damp is present on a painted or wallpapered wall, it would cause the paint or wallpaper to peel away from them. If the mold continues to grow, it increases the risk of respiratory problems such as coughs and asthma, this is more likely for children. Many families live in a house that thrives with mold and dampness, leaving them open to the effects. There are many children who will experience asthma attacks due to the mold and overcrowding, resulting in them missing vital days of school. Which then lowers their chances of getting good qualifications, decreasing the chances of getting well-paid jobs. Living in poor quality housing will also affect an individual’s mental state, they may end up being depressed and stressed, due to the pressures that they are put under. The effects of stress can lead to behavioral problems such as eating disorders, physical problems such as nausea and dizziness, and cognitive problems such as memory loss, (Helpguide.org, 2017). It may also result in miscarriages or premature births which isn’t really good for the mother or the child. Due to there not being enough room in the house it could cause fights and relationship pressures to occur. Living in a damp and overcrowded house can also lead to other environmental factors such as discrimination. Discrimination affects both the children and adults of the family. For example, if a child, living in a house that has damp went to school some children may bully that individual because their clothes may smell like damp. This will affect how they make friends, because they may be wary about how people will react to them due to the past or ongoing situations of where they have been bullied. â€Å"Children from low-income families often forgo events that most of us would take for granted. They miss school trips; can’t invite friends round for tea; and can’t afford a one-week holiday away from home. While studies show that there are more play areas in deprived areas, their quality is generally poorer. Vandalism, playground misuse and danger of injury all act as deterrents to using what otherwise might be good facilities.† (cpag.org, 2017) Socioeconomic Income is the money that an individual or household gets and according to myaccountingcourse.com (2017) expenditures â€Å"are payments of currency or barter credits for necessary inputs (goods or services). This could be anything from purchases equipment to hiring employees. Obligatory settlements or payment of liabilities such as invoices, receipts, and vouchers can also be considered expenditures.† Both expenditures and income can affect an individual’s life in positive and negative ways, â€Å"your income has a greater impact on your health than lifestyle choices.† (Therecord.com 2017). An individual living in a high-income family may experience many positive interactions and opportunities that people who may be living in a low-income family may not experience. However, there are some disadvantages of being in a high-income family is that others may take advantage of them, for the money. Another disadvantage that applies to both high and low-income families i s that the individuals within may start to become ungrateful towards things and not think of others. Children who live in low-income households tend to struggle more than others with a higher income in many situations in life for example education or health, this is the secondary effects of an individual being poorer. Children living in poorer households are more likely to have low attendance/punctuality at school and are also more likely to get behavior referrals due to ‘bad behavior’. Lowered attendance leads too many missed lessons which put them behind hindering their intellectual development and their behavior which is seen as socially wrong would impact on them making friends. â€Å"Education is the process of learning. It includes the difference in the level of education that somebody has received and the qualifications that somebody has,† (classroom notes, 2017). Children from around the age of 5 may start to experience being bullied, due to their family income by other children, this can cause emotional outbursts triggering them to act out or even being extremely weary and quiet. Bullying can cause an individual to be emotionally unstable which will have impacts on their sexual relationships in future life. According to jrf.org.uk, (2017) â€Å"income influences many different outcomes at the same time, including maternal mental health and children’s anxiety levels and behavior.† Someone living in a high-income family will physical dress up well and they may have the latest fashion trends, whereas someone living in a low-income family may appear to have scruffy or large clothes that may most likely be handed down from a family member. Genetic The genetic factor that I will be explaining in this assessment is cystic fibrosis (CF). Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder which causes a mass production of mucus to build up throughout the individual’s organs in their body. An individual will only get CF if both biological parents were carriers of the gene. This means that parents that don’t have CF have a possibility of conceiving a child who has and shows CF. this disorder is very harmfully for an individual it affects their lungs due to the buildup of mucus in the pathways which then leaves them open to infections. Cysticfibrosis.org.uk (2017), states that â€Å"Cystic fibrosis can cause the pancreas to become blocked with mucus, and when this happens enzymes required for digesting food cannot reach the stomach. People with CF often need to take more than 50 tablets a day to help digest food and keep respiratory symptoms in check.† Someone who has cystic fibrosis will have a lowered life expectancy the average life expectancy of someone one living with CF is 41years old. Cystic fibrosis affects someone’s daily life because for treatment an individual will have to go through daily routines such as physio and taken tablets. These help to control the effects of CF. â€Å"Living with a chronic disease, such as CF, can be emotionally challenging. Although moments of sadness and anxiety due to the uncertainty of your health may come and go, depression and persistent anxiety should be treated as part of your overall health and emotional wellness.† (cff.org, 2017). Due to appointments, a CF patient may experience a low attendance at school or college, the missing lesson will then have intellectual development issues on the individual because they have missed out on key information that the teacher has given out. This disadvantages that individual compared to their peers which might cause them to feel isol ated. Lifestyle For this factor, I will be explaining about the use and misuse of substances. There are 2 types of drugs that someone may use these are: medical drugs such as paracetamol are usually prescribed by a doctor, to either relieve pain or to cure illness. Mackintosh. M (2017), explains that â€Å"recreational drugs such as alcohol and tobacco are taken by people because they like the effects that they have on their bodies, but they are addictive. Heroin and cocaine are illegal recreational drugs that are very addictive.† There are 3 main categories of drugs these are depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens (cause hallucinations or sensations and images that seem real though they are not). These will all influence an individual, however, the effects will be different depending on the type of drug that they have taken. Depressants such as alcohol and heroin tend to reduce the activity of an individual’s nervous system for a while. Some people will drink alcohol because they are feeling low/stressed, however, the effects of the alcohol cause the person to feel even lower so then they would drink some more, and the cycle will then continue. This may result in an individual beige pendant on alcohol which is a gateway to addiction. According to Wikipedia.org (2017), â€Å"alcohol intoxication affects the brain causing slurred speech and delayed reflexes.† Stimulants such as caffeine, speed up the reactions of the nervous system resulting in high performances in sports. According to Drugfre eworld.com (2017), â€Å"Stimulants can be addictive. Repeated high doses of some stimulants over a short period can lead to feelings of hostility or paranoia. Such doses may also result in dangerously high body temperatures and an irregular heartbeat.† This can cause individuals to feel socially cut off from everyone, which will affect them socially and emotionally.

French Adverbs When to Use Encore and Toujours