Mission vs. Ego: The Dangers of Narcissistic Leadership
About this episode
Brené Brown and Adam Grant discuss the dangers of narcissistic leadership and how to lead with mission over ego during a live session at SXSW.
This week, Brené and Adam are live at SXSW! They explore why so many people are vulnerable to narcissistic leaders. The conversation covers the conditions that breed narcissistic leadership, the roles of shame and fear, and how to survive a narcissistic boss, and what it means to lead with mission over ego. You can find The Curiosity Shop on YouTube and Instagram (@thecuriosityshop). Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 3:14 - Why People Are Vulnerable to Narcissistic Leaders 12:21 - Shame-Based Fear 18:04 - Do We Think About Emotions Wrong? 19:21 - Undue Credit and the Narcissistic Leader 26:00 - Mission Over Ego 29:52 - How to Manage a Narcissistic Boss 39:18 - Anxiety as a Path to Narcissism 47:45 - Judging Impairs Judgement 1:02:20 - Closing Show Notes: Adam Grant, Why We Fall for Narcissistic Leaders, Starting in Grade School, NYT 2025. O'Reilly et al. 2001 When 'Me' Trumps 'We': Narcissistic Leaders and the Cultures They Create, 2021. Brené Brown, "Shame shields" in The Dare to Lead Glossary: Key Language skills, tools, and practices. (pg. 15-16) Bagozzi et al. 2003 (A study on cross-cultural differences in reaction to shame) Brené Brown, Dan Pink on The Power of Regret, Dare to…
More episodes of The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
- The Emotion Few Talk About, But Many Feel
- Uncertainty is Not the Enemy
- Overconfidence and the Art of Knowing Yourself
- How This Podcast Could Fail
- Brené and Adam on What They Will Never Agree On
- Welcome to The Curiosity Shop
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant podcast page.