VIM Executive Coaching has frequently had to delve into the intersection of narcissism and executive leadership. As business coaches, we have certainly become alarmed at the rise of narcissism and its damage.
Not especially surprised
Numerous psychologists and professors of organizational management have extensively studied and written on the topic “self-admiration” and what we shall simply term the “runaway judgment of others. It is a troubling trend that has damaged many associations and corporations. Has the trend gotten worse post-COVID? Many would say so.
However, we might note that COVID lockdowns, remote working and a generalized lack of team building was only accelerated in the past few years. Nothing we are experiencing has happened in a vacuum. We should not be surprised by the increasing sense of isolation and lack of association.
The recent roots of narcissism were clearly nurtured by social media, remote working, the rise of contract labor, the loss of team building, massive resignations and what we shall term, “a loss of mindfulness.”
Unfortunately, many organizations have gone so far off of the in-person team building model, that a digital management style seems to have replaced anything “human.” No, we are not talking about the rise of AI but the downfall of basic and extremely important human interaction.
In one organization we have recently encountered, the executive leadership across several departments issued a series of videos, accessible on a popular social media platform. Presumably the videos are there to offer “in-person” executive insights ranging from expected policies and procedures to the executive’s philosophy of life.
Do as I say…
This digital management technique was all brought to our attention after the above organization, with its “magnificent” videotaped policies and procedures endured an executive leadership breakdown.
Within the space of two months, the company was charged with widespread sexual harassment and then bribery was uncovered in the sales department. The publicity was bad enough, but the fines and censuring almost brought the nearly one-billion-dollar company to its knees. The remote sales offices of the organization were behaving as would lone outposts of the Old Western frontier.
VIM Executive Coaching might add that two of the videos that were made readily available included one on workplace policies and workplace expectations against sexual harassment, abuse and bullying, with the second video discussing sales ethics and the policies against the acceptance and offering of bribes. They were being played, we suppose, however beyond checking the box that said “I watched,” no one paid attention.
What emerged was a culture of “do as I say, not as I do.” Such a culture is what we might term anti-mindful; total disconnects between what should be expected and what was actually occurring. And, we must add, one of those named in the sexual harassments lawsuits was the CEO!
Mindfulness demands authenticity, and videos, podcasts, and social media posts no matter how great the drama and emotion are much different than the practice of talking and listening in-person and in real-time. The act of mindfulness amongst executive leaders must, by definition, start with those leaders and work its way on down. The operative word being “work.” For mindfulness does require work not easy fixes and then situational neglect.
“Have you seen my video series?” is an all-too-common question borne out of societal belief that the digital world is a cure-all for anything in-person. In case after case, it has been shown that anti-mindful techniques fail. While there is nothing inherently wrong with posting video, no good has been demonstrated by allowing real, in-person response and mindful, intentional response to be abandoned.