Here’s a couple of takes from Jeffrey Pfeffer on the subject of narcissistic leaders:

“First, a definition: narcissistic leaders, as research by Stanford colleague Charles O’Reilly and colleagues notes, are characterized by the traits of dominance, self-confidence, a sense of entitlement, grandiosity, and low empathy. As Michael Maccoby pointed out in The Productive Narcissist, many well-known, even iconic leaders such as Martha Stewart, Jack Welch, and Bill Gates are almost certainly narcissistic personalities, and narcissism is useful for attaining leadership positions, maintaining power, and even stimulating creativity and innovation. O’Reilly’s research on narcissism among Silicon Valley executives shows that narcissistic CEOs earn more, last in their jobs longer, and also have a larger gap between their pay and the pay of their senior team.”

“And while narcissism and the associated behaviors may indeed help people ascend into leadership roles, as recent experience suggests, narcissistic individuals also contain the seeds of their own (self)-destruction. And leaders’ downfalls are costly — Lockheed now has to find another person to assume the CEO role, and President Obama must find someone to take over the CIA. So while indeed there are productive narcissists, narcissistic behavior can be very unproductive for both the work organizations and the people who experience it.”

Labor woke up to Rudd’s madness. I wonder how long it will take for the Qantas board to wake up to Joyce’s condition? Or if, like Petraeus, he will fall on his own sword?

Very well written Guy, but perhaps a touch too misogynistic. We blokes all get the “firecracker” metaphor, but there will be many women who find this piece tarnished in the same way as your “all nork and no action piece”. Even so, your storytelling skills have to be acknowledged.

I remarked to my spouse that I am constantly amazed what people will write in emails these days. I work on the basis that nothing I ever write, even on apparently anonymous forums like this, is ever beyond being connected back to me.

Frightening naivety.

Guy. You kill me.

Thank you.

You beat me to it. In fact I believe there are a few similarities with the Kiefer Sutherland movie The Sentinel, but it is probably that yellow dress of Kelly’s that is soooo reminiscent of Eva Longoria. The other movie that the scribes are comparing it to is Burn after Reading (Slate: Burn After Petraeus). (Being a typical Coen Bros movie everyone is unbelievably stupid and everyone ends up getting killed by their stupidity.)

Now, to try to figure out the double or triple reverse trick ending.

Let’s start taking bets on how soon Mark ‘Love Boat’ Sanford cheats on the ‘Mexican firecracker.’

Jon Stewart reviewing his January interview with Broadwell was wonderfully self-effacing and worth googling.