The Leadership Mystique

This article explores the way in which character traits and behavioural patterns affect leadership style. Some of the elements that make for successful leadership are presented. It is suggested that the personality of a top executive influences the strategy, corporate culture and even structure of his or her organisation to such an extent that often organisations cannot perform successfully if no attention is given to a leader's intraphysic world. A clinical approach is used in the article to analyse how behaviour on the part of a leader, which may seem completely irrational may on closer inspection have an explanation and deeper rationale. The process is described by which executives can explore their core conflictual relationship themes, or inner scripts, through self-examination and studying the lives of well-known business leaders and their companies. The theme of psychological pressure of leadership emerges during this process. The problems of loneliness of command, envy and "false connection" on the part of subordinates are discussed. To clarify why some leaders are more affected by this pressure than others, the shaping of personality is described in the context of narcissistic development, and the concepts of reactive and constructive narcissism are explored. A correlation is shown between individual pathology and organisational pathology, which often results in neurotic organisations. Finally the danger of leaders' uncontrolled narcissism and hubris is touched on.