Research

Blogs

Helping a Bipolar Leader (2014)

Manfred Kets de Vries

Helping a Bipolar Leader

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

Add Comment

Go back

Related content

"When drive and commitment are too much"

Are You an Alpha Male Leader?

This blog looks at the place for alpha-like behaviour in organisations. It argues that the need the drive, competitiveness and commitment of such leaders should be balanced with models of leadership that connect, build and nurture.

Published on 21 Mar, 2016

"Four pathologies that can cripple leaders"

Coaching the Toxic Leader

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"

How to manage a narcissist

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

A leader’s image can become almost inseparable from the organisation he or she leads. Consumers’ perception of companies is often influenced by corporate leaders’ actions and what they communicate. Donald Trump is epitomising the “Ugly American”.

Published on 12 Apr, 2017

"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

"Managing the passive- aggressive leader"

Helping the Passive-Aggressive Executive

This blog entry with the Harvard Business Review discusses challenge of managing passive-aggressives.

Published on 20 Feb, 2014

"Are you a mentor or a martyr?"

Mentor or Martyr? Beware The Rescuer Trap!

In this blog entry for Forbes, Manfred Kets de Vries discusses the differences between mentoring and martydom.

Published on 16 Oct, 2013