The Perfect Balance: Followers Prefer Slightly Narcissistic Leaders, Study Reveals

A study published in Personality and Individual Differences suggests that subordinates are most satisfied with leaders who display a moderate level of grandiose narcissism. The research found an inverted U-shaped relationship between leader grandiose narcissism and follower satisfaction, indicating that a small dose of narcissism can make leaders more successful. However, beyond a certain point, as narcissism increases further, follower satisfaction starts to decline. The study highlights the importance of considering specific behaviors associated with narcissistic leaders in determining their impact on follower satisfaction. Future research should explore the effects of leader narcissism in combination with social skills.