Narcissism alignment between leaders and followers linked to higher creativity

A new study investigates how narcissism in both leaders and followers affects creative performance in the workplace. The research finds that when leaders and followers have similar levels of narcissism, employees tend to identify more with their leaders, leading to higher creative output. However, when a leader’s narcissism exceeds that of their followers, this identification is weakened, resulting in reduced creativity. The findings have been published in the journal Human Relations.

Narcissism is a personality trait characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a deep need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. Narcissists often display grandiosity, seek constant attention, and believe they are superior to those around them. However, narcissism is multifaceted and can manifest in both positive and negative behaviors.

On the positive side, narcissists tend to be confident, assertive, and willing to take bold risks. These traits can make them seem charismatic and capable, which can sometimes translate into visionary leadership. On the negative side, narcissists can be exploitative, self-centered, and dismissive of others, which can hinder relationships and collaboration, particularly in team settings.

In the workplace, narcissistic individuals may exhibit a range of behaviors that can either promote or disrupt organizational performance. Leaders with high levels of narcissism often thrive on power and recognition, driving them to seek out opportunities to display their competence and achieve success. This can motivate them to lead creatively or pursue innovation. However, their arrogance and inability to take criticism can also alienate their followers, leading to toxic work environments.

The rationale behind the new study was to explore the relationship between narcissism and creative performance more deeply by considering the dynamic between both leader and follower narcissism. Previous research examining narcissism in leaders or followers separately yielded inconsistent findings, with some studies suggesting narcissism boosts creativity while others found it detrimental. The researchers posited that the interplay between leader and follower narcissism had been overlooked, and this could explain the mixed results.

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The study gathered data from 421 employees and 54 direct supervisors at a bank in northern China. To avoid potential biases and increase the accuracy of their findings, the researchers used a multi-wave, multi-source approach. In the first phase, both leaders and followers completed self-assessments to measure their levels of narcissism using a 16-item scale. Around a month later, leaders were asked to evaluate their employees’ creative performance, while followers rated how strongly they identified with their leaders.

Narcissism was measured using a well-established psychological scale, the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI-16). The creative performance of employees was rated by their supervisors on a scale assessing originality, adaptability, and practicality in the ideas or methods they proposed. The researchers also measured how much followers identified with their leaders, which is crucial because strong identification with a leader often motivates employees to contribute to the leader’s goals.

The team employed a statistical method known as cross-level polynomial regression to examine how different combinations of leader and follower narcissism affected follower identification with the leader and, ultimately, creative performance.

When leaders and followers had similar levels of narcissism—whether both were highly narcissistic or both had lower levels of narcissism—followers tended to report a stronger sense of identification with their leaders. This identification was associated with higher ratings of creative performance. Narcissistic followers appeared to be drawn to narcissistic leaders, perceiving them as bold and charismatic. They seemed more willing to tolerate negative traits like arrogance, possibly due to shared values and a mutual drive for achievement. This alignment may have fostered a sense of unity, which was linked to more creative output from followers.

In contrast, when a leader’s narcissism was higher than that of their followers, followers reported lower identification with their leaders, which was associated with lower levels of creative performance. Followers with lower narcissism, who tend to value empathy and close relationships, might have found it harder to connect with highly narcissistic leaders. This perceived disconnect may have contributed to a reduction in their creative contributions.

Interestingly, when a leader’s narcissism was lower than that of their followers, creative performance ratings were not as negatively affected. Narcissistic followers, motivated by their desire for status and self-enhancement, still appeared able to form a psychological bond with their leaders. This suggests that narcissistic followers might adapt better to leaders with lower narcissism compared to those with higher narcissism.

Organizations could use these findings to better manage their teams. For example, pairing highly narcissistic followers with equally narcissistic leaders might enhance creative performance, while avoiding placing non-narcissistic employees under the supervision of narcissistic leaders. Moreover, offering leadership training to help highly narcissistic individuals understand and manage their behaviors could mitigate the negative impacts of narcissism in the workplace.

While the study provides valuable insights, it has some limitations. First, the research was conducted within a specific organizational context—a bank in China—so the findings may not apply universally across different industries or cultural settings. The hierarchical and collectivistic nature of Chinese workplaces may influence how followers perceive and tolerate narcissistic behaviors in leaders. Future research could examine whether these findings hold true in other cultural contexts, particularly in more individualistic or egalitarian societies.

The study, “Paradoxical effects of narcissism on creative performance: Roles of leader–follower narcissism (in)congruence and follower identification with the leader,” was authored by Xin Liu, Xiaoming Zheng, Yucheng Zhang, Hui Liao, Peter D Harms, Xin Qin, and Yu Yu.