Extreme differences in needs and behaviors are the first indicator of potential narcissism. Behaviors are an illusion – The closer a person’s needs correlate with their leadership style, the more authentic and predictable their actions.
I participated in a continuing education webinar with psychologists and executive coaches a couple of years ago. One of the individuals made a comment that has stuck with me. He stated that behaviors are an illusion. This statement objectified for me the assessment model I have been using for the last twenty-five years.
Behavioral assessments and behavioral interviews claim that past successes predict future successes.
While this claim may be valid in some cases, it is not universally true.
Behaviors are motivated by needs, and needs are rarely apparent. When one’s needs-driven behaviors are not rewarded by society, behaviors tend to become socialized. The closer a person’s needs correlate with their leadership style, the more authentic and predictable their actions. The less a person’s needs correlate with their behavior, the less predictable their leadership style. Extreme differences in needs and behaviors may indicate narcissism.
Often people are hired because they are liked. Narcissists have spent their entire life adopting charming behaviors. We have done many assessments of a slate of candidates where a narcissist is the top choice. It is always surprising to the hiring executives when they receive our reports.
Narcissists can destroy a business. In our coaching history, we have seen several instances of the negative impact of narcissistic behavior creating devastating outcomes. In one case, a narcissist had driven earnings and quality so low in a manufacturing plant that the company was considering shutting it down, costing 750 employees their jobs. Once we identified and had removed the narcissist, the plant became one of the top performers in the company. In another instance, we saw a narcissistic CFO quickly bankrupt a highly profitable company.
Contact us if you would like to understand how identifying a person’s needs can improve hiring outcomes.