The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire March Edition 2013 | Page 8

LEADERSHIP & COACHING What are the qualities of a good leader? Oliver James has related the Dark Triad of personalities to 3 types of boss: the psychopath, the Macchiavelli and the narcissist. This is a little worrying. Particularly as it seems that any one of these types will probably manifest behaviours from the other two types as well. Let’s start with the psychopath... There are elements of this profile that lend themselves well to being a good leader; being cunning and charming and having the ability to be detached and remorseless. However most psychopaths are of average intelligence, untruthful and unreliable, and display poor judgement as well as being pathologically egocentric. Not such great leadership behaviours. What about the narcissist? Being conceited, argumentative and selfish don’t seem to be exemplary qualities for a good leader. Neither does expecting constant praise and admiration or expressing disdain for those you believe to be lesser than you. As for Macchiavelli? Well the man himself got on in life through his willingness and aptitude for deceit, manipulation and exploitation to gain and maintain power. So why do our leaders exhibit these personality types? What is it that allows them to ‘get on’ and us to support them? All three types are closely associated with charisma. Macchiavellians exercise control over close relations in order to achieve their aims, they gain popularity as a result of being able to create an image which is desirable to others, but distinct from who they actually are. Psychopaths can be disarming and fearlessly heroic which attracts others to them. David T. Lykken in ‘The Antisocial Personalities’ observed that Lyndon Baines Johnson and Winston Churchill were “daring, unconventional youngsters who began by playing by their own rules” before becoming successful leaders. Narcissistic leaders are dominant and self-confident with a sense of entitlement. Research done in Silicon Valley revealed that narcissistic business leaders there earned more and stayed in their jobs longer. Being action oriented and goal focused can be an appealing trait in a boss. Whether or not we think Bill Gates, General Petraeus and Winston Churchill are examples of any of these personality types, we might look at what elements of their personalities have served us well, how these might be emulated and inform us to recognise and nurture better leaders in the future. Lots of scope for innovative thinking there for leadership and management training! Meanwhile, if you fancy doing your own Meta Profile test, contact Isla at Smart Coaching & Training. Visit: www.smartcoachingtraining.co.uk Psychopaths can be disarming and fearlessly heroic which attracts others to them. Isla Baliszewska - Business Coach for ambitious owners, leaders & entrepreneurs. New training and conference facilities open now Half Price Introductory offer contact us for further details (terms and conditions apply) Get in touch today Seats up to 40 people 01793 843100 Equipped with the latest interactive white board and AV equipment [email protected] Booking available for half or full day ter ces en Cir 19 A4 For more details call now quoting ref - BHCONF01 16 17 l Bristo 15 Read ing Bowman House Business Centre, Bowman Court, Whitehill Lane, Royal Wootton Bassett Swindon SN4 7DB www.bowmanhouse.co.uk 8 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2013 TBE March 2104 v AJ EDITED.indd 8 06/03/2014 18:57