Manic-depressive leaders are great in a crisis, refusing to bow to adversity. They rush in where others feared to tread and can inspire others to follow. The downside is that due to their extreme sense of empowerment, energy and optimism, their thinking and judgment can be flawed. This blog entry with the Harvard Business Review explore the manic-depressive leaders, who, caught up in their grandiosity, may overestimate their capabilities and try to do more than they can handle.
Harvard Business Review, 2014
Read more"When drive and commitment are too much"
Published on 21 Mar, 2016
"Four pathologies that can cripple leaders"
This blog entry with the Harvard Business Review explores four pathologies that can cripple an executive and bring misery to the workplace, and what to do about them.
Published on 1 Apr, 2014
"Advice for dealing with narcissists"
Managing a narcissistic leader is not easy. Why would they ask for help, when they think that they are better than anybody else? How can they learn from mistakes if they can’t admit that they’ve ever made one? This article provides some advise for managers who have to deal with such leaders.
Published on 10 May, 2017
"The uses of humour in the workplace"
The Dark Side of a Funny Situation
This blog looks at the sources of humor and to distunguish between humour that is congenial and empathetic and humour that is dysfunctional and divisive.
Published on 2 Jun, 2015
"High-flyers and the fear of success"
Are You Too Afraid to Succeed?
This blog entry with the Harvard Business Review address the fear of success and its consequences.
Published on 4 Mar, 2014
"A large chair doesn’t make a king"
Lessons in Destructive Leadership from Africa
Africa is a cautionary example of the need for checks and balances against the abuse of power.
Published on 5 Oct, 2016
"Donald Trump’s new American brand is a cautionary tale for all leaders."
Lessons Learned from the Return of the Ugly American
Published on 12 Apr, 2017
"Ways to Manage Difficult Bosses"
What to Do When You Hate Your Boss?
This article explores the options available to anyone who has to manage a bad boss. Much of it will feel like common sense. But people often forget that it’s in their power to improve bad situations, so having the options systematically laid out can be very helpful.
Published on 1 Dec, 2016
"Adversity to develop endurance, courage and character"
Developing Leaders Through Adversity
In the perfect storm our world is currently experiencing, we need to develop leaders with character, people who can deal with complex and difficult situations and act as forces for good. Adversity is one way to develop endurance, courage and character. Without it, we do not really know what we are all about, nor do we appreciate the limits of our character.
Published on 9 Jun, 2017
In this book of insightful essays, Kets de Vries explodes the myth that rationality is what governs the behaviour of leaders and followers and provides a more realistic perspective on organisational functioning and the leader-follower relationship.
Published on 13 Aug, 2003
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