Can you please help me to reply to my classmate? I agree with what she wrote.

In the article "Narcissistic Leaders," written by Michael Maccoby, the author describes narcissistic leaders as those who have a "great ability to attract and inspire followers." The term narcissistic has a negative connotation to it, although when it comes to being a leader in a role such as a CEO, it has proven, at times, to have the ability to act as a strength. Influential business leaders such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Jeff Bezos are all examples of such. A Forbes article discusses the elements of Elon Musk's leadership style, with these elements lining up with narcissistic traits exhibited in Michael Maccoby's findings. The article described Musk as a pseudo-transformational leader, where these types of leaders "are perceived to be charismatic because of their grandiose rhetoric and heightened levels of self-confidence. However, they are primarily motivated by self-interest. They can be self-aggrandizing and exploitative. Workplaces presided over by pseudo-transformational leaders tend to be rife with unethical behavior such as manipulative communication, excessive control, and a general insensitivity to the needs of others." The article then brings up Musk's decision to terminate half of Twitter's workforce after buying the company. "The Twitter crisis was also, at least partially, manufactured by him. The consensus among the employees who were fired, including Twitter's former CEO, and the employees who resigned is clear: Musk's actions showed no respect to the ones who created and managed Twitter in the first place." This action ties into narcissistic traits/blind spots such as those revolving around being power hungry and the insatiable need for recognition. The article regarded this action as a "ploy" to gain more attention to himself and the company itself. Musk's situation with the mass Twitter layoffs highlights his lack of empathy as a leader, and shows that he has no issue in working towards his own agenda at the expense of others. The Forbes article sums up Musk by stating "Optimism, passion for innovation, and audacious risk-taking have fueled his unprecedented success. But the same qualities that made him who he is could very well lead to his undoing if he lets ego, tone-deafness, and narcissism steer his decision-making." Despite Musk's great success, his narcissistic qualities could lead to his downfall. If I could provide advice for Elon Musk's leadership blind spots from "Working with Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman, I would definitely recommend advice that revolves around improving skills in empathy and the understanding of others. For example, according to the book, "Some people who seem to lack empathy may actually be doing so strategically and intentionally; they may avoid caring in order to hold a hard line and resist the urge to help." (Goleman 143). The lack of empathy may be a trait exhibit by leaders with the hopes of creating a leadership style that is tough and emotionless. The book also discusses the importance of balancing a personal style that is empathetic/people oriented with a work/leadership style. "The most effective leaders were more positive and outgoing, more emotionally expressive and dramatic, warmer and more sociable, friendlier and more democratic, more cooperative, more likable and fun to be with, more appreciative and trustful, and even gentler than those who are merely average" (Goleman 188 ). A strong foundation within an organization can be built on trust, understanding, mentoring and communication; a leader who is feared by others is not someone who can expect a strong and successful team to support one another.

References:

Goleman, D. (1998). Working with Emotional Intelligence. Bantam Books.

Narcissistic leaders: The incredible pros, the inevitable cons. Harvard Business Review. (2022, August 1). Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://hbr.org/2004/01/narcissistic-leaders-the-incredible-pros-the-inevitable-cons

Travers, M. (2022, November 24). How psychological research can help explain Elon Musk's leadership style. Forbes. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2022/11/23/can-psychological-research-help-us-understand-elon-musks-polarizing-brand-of-leadership/?sh=3e1557111076