Corporate narcissism…SA’s secret curse - By Annelize van Rensburg* (www.signium.co.za)

It is the unspoken curse stalking corporate South Africa. Few people talk about it but many executives encounter it and may be vaguely – or acutely – aware of the danger to organisations and careers. The potentially toxic issue is corporate narcissism and its personification, the corporate narcissist. Psychologists, consultants and corporate head-hunters have been aware of the issue for many years, though it came into sharp focus internationally following the 2008 financial crisis as the egotism of some business leaders may have paved the way to the Great Recession. Specialists describe corporate narcissism as a corporate culture characterised by excessive pride, leading to destructive behaviour and strategies that boost personal egos rather than a company’s long-term prospects. It is often found in large firms, especially those with clear hierarchies as corporate narcissists favour structures that support their power and protect their position. One chartered psychologist notes negative correlation with honesty and humility, yet positive correlation with openness and extroversion. Translation? A corporate narcissist initially appears charming and open. He or she makes a great first impression and exploits it to win high ratings for performance. Sometimes performance can be impressive, but narcissists are likely to ride early successes for all they are worth to secure personal advantage. Narcissists steal credit for the work of others and minimise the contribution of subordinates. Narcissists are manipulative and enjoy the trappings of success … the best office, first-class travel and accommodation, luxury cars and celebrity lifestyle. A corporate narcissist may build a reputation as a stellar deal-maker and financial wizard. He (or she) is the corporate rain-maker with a knack for building a network of admirers and praise-singers. Peers and subordinates often do the real work while the manipulator hogs the limelight. Those with a different perspective are marginalised. Mistakes may be covered up and blame wrongly apportioned. Abuse and erosion of ethical values set in. Anyone challenging the narcissist is ostracised. An ace manipulator undermines the self-esteem of others.

Colleagues may find themselves working harder and harder as they are led to believe under-performance is their fault. Three consequences may manifest:                                                                                                 

victims (frequently talented individuals) refuse to be victims any longer and quit, hurting organisational performance as staff turnover rockets victims become depressed and demotivated (health and work suffer) victims become whistle-blowers as egotism may lead to mis-statements of fact, even fraud (though raising a red flag may initially do more harm to whistle-blowers than narcissists who supposedly do no wrong). The extent of the local challenge is not only apparent from anecdotal reports, but from feedback given by executives looking to leave seemingly successful organisations.                                      

Upon close questioning, they reveal the angst, anger and frustration of working alongside corporate narcissists in several sectors. There is some good news. International experience shows individuals can resist manipulation by setting clear boundaries and refusing to be sucked into the sycophantic culture that often surrounds a narcissist. You can’t change narcissists, but you can change your reaction to them by refusing to do their jobs or cover for them. Corporate scandals and persistent organisational under-performance are also beginning to alert boards to risks posed by corporate narcissism. Well-informed boards know self-confidence is good, self-absorption bad. With the help of skilled head-hunters, they are becoming better at spotting the difference. Taking a good hard look is a good start if we wish to combat the toxic effects of corporate narcissism. It then becomes possible to build cohesive teams that deliver good, consistent results without glory-hunting … or narcissism.

 *Annelize van Rensburg is a director of Signium Africa (previously Talent Africa), a leading recruitment company based in South Africa offering executive head-hunting and leadership consulting - servicing sub-Saharan Africa.  www.signium.co.za 

Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of thinking that partnering with a business coach will solve all their business challenges. This is only partly true, however. Read on to find out why. 

Imagine you’re training for a marathon. You have your goal, your have your training plan, and it’s all going well. But, still, you feel you could do better. So, you hire a running coach. What happens now? Well, that’s up to you, isn’t it? If you diligently follow the coach’s advice, you’re certain to see progress. If you think the mere fact you’ve appointed the coach is enough, and continue without making any changes, you probably won’t.  

The same applies to business coaching, says Pieter Scholtz, master franchisor of ActionCOACH. “Appointing a coach is the first step. Thereafter, the hard work starts,” he says.  

Scholtz adds that there’s often a misconception about the business coach’s role. “You can’t expect your coach to solve your business challenges for you,” he explains. “A good coach will tell you the truth about you and your business, no matter how uncomfortable it may be, or how hard it is to share with you the realities of your business and the changes you need to make.” 

A business coach will help by providing training, skills, guidance and advice, Scholtz answers. “When you’re working by yourself, it’s easy to get off track,” he comments. “You might have a vague idea that you’re not happy with where the business is headed, but you’re not sure how to correct its course. This might be because you’re too close to the business and you can’t see where the areas of weakness might be, or maybe it’s simply because you don’t know how to fix things.” 

This is where the objective view of a business coach can help. Because they are less invested in the business, especially from an emotional perspective, they aren’t afraid to take a critical look at what’s going wrong. They can make the hard calls that business owners are afraid to. What’s more, they have the business experience and insight to understand what changes need to be made. 

But this is where the responsibility of the business coach ends and that of the business owner begins, Scholtz says. “Your coach may suggest books to read, conferences to attend, webinars to watch. You’ll also need to be prepared to think up issues that you want to discuss before each session if you are to get the most out of the relationship. There’s a lot of homework involved,” he points out. 

Of course, you can choose not to follow up on your coach’s recommendations. After all, entrepreneurs often carry a heavy load, and it can be difficult to find the time for ‘enrichment work’ in between income generating tasks. But, says Scholtz, “as with most things in life, the benefits you receive from coaching will correlate directly with the time and effort you invest. If you don’t think you’re ready to make the commitment, this might not be the right time for you.“Remember,” he continues, “growth comes from doing. When you are part of a coaching relationship, you’ll be doing a lot of doing. You’ll be answering a lot of tough but important questions. You will be challenging your paradigms and perspectives. You will be unlocking your potential. You will be on your way to becoming the person, the leader, that you need to be in your life and in your business, whilst achieving your personal goals too. You will be made aware of the obstacles, and you’ll learn how to overcome them.” 

It won’t be easy – but then change and growth (and all the other uncomfortable situations that ultimately benefit us) seldom are.

By Michelle Moss*, Director at Signium Africa - www.signium.co.za

Politics was once a dirty word in business. You did not play politics to get ahead. It was just not done. Rubbish! Corporate politics have always been played.

The challenge is to play without deceit and duplicity while boosting the business. Of course, smart political players boost themselves as well.Currently, a corporate politics rethink is underway overseas. International literature confirms it.

A similar reassessment is underway in South Africa.Local indicators include executive search feedback to job candidates that their ‘political’ skills need attention and growing demand in the executive coaching arena for assistance with this aspect of personal development.Stalled careers are a key driver.Long hours and impressive gains should have resulted in career recognition but haven’t.

The individual then asks, ‘What more can I do?’The answer is ‘Learn to play the game’, and that game is corporate politics.

Many newcomers to the game are shamefaced about it.They confuse politics with ‘brown-nosing’ and manipulation.

They believe good people do not network for self-advantage.However, a good executive coach will point out that access, visibility and credibility are essential for personal and corporate success.Good ideas are useless unless they’re shared with decision-makers.

ccess to senior ranks is therefore essential. Once access is gained, the ambitious manager has to be seen as a credible performer making a visible difference.Credibility is rarely an issue. The go-getter usually has the qualifications and experience, has put in the time and achieved success.The challenge relates to access and visibility, but first mindsets must change.This is no problem for those who are aware their career has stalled and change is overdue.

Good coaches also point out that personal values are not compromised by networking and relationship-building. Behaviour might change, ethics remain intact.Behavioural change helps put a name to developments that were previously anonymous.Bosses are swamped by data. Often, they don’t have time to ask ‘who worked on this project?’ or ‘who led that team?

By changing behaviour and creating favourable awareness, players make it easier for superiors to remember a face and name.Once the mindset has been adjusted, it is necessary to identify decision-makers and influencers; external as well as internal. Impress some clients or suppliers and the word may go all the way to the top of your own organisation.Once identities have been established, relationships can be developed. Often, this is through participation in various initiatives or at certain social occasions.Take an interest. Get on to the invitation list.This can be difficult for introverts. They need to become more outgoing. Extroverts face a different challenge. They can come across as pushy and egotistical.One way forward is to tell a story that subtly conveys the contribution of the ambitious manager without bombast. There may be a humorous pay-off line, but the story-teller is positioned as a key actor.These techniques involve no play-acting. Superiors are not being deceived.

They are being alerted to interesting developments and the impact of new role-players.Advancement from this base can be impressive. Stalled careers may go into overdrive.Stellar success like this is not built on a lie. You have to be the real deal to make real progress. Play the political game to win recognition. But remember; real winners always deliver results.

*Michelle Moss is a Director at Signium Africa (previously Talent Africa), a leading South African-based executive search and talent management company servicing sub-Saharan Africa. www.signium.co.za

International speaker and trusted business adviser opens up his famous 'Whiteboard Sessions' for emerging Speakers, Coaches and Trainers in the South African market.

Robin Pullen, trusted Business Adviser, Master Trainer and International Professional Public Speaker introduces his famous 'Whiteboard Sessions' to aspiring and emerging speakers, coaches and trainers. Previously only available to his private clients and students of the Information Product Academy, the 90 minute strategic ideation conversation conducted face-to-face, will help delegates develop a road map of action and provide clarity and confidence to succeed.

As a consummate speaker, coach and trainer Mr Pullen understands that entrepreneurs in the professional development arena are never short of ideas. Often to the extent that they find themselves stuck in overwhelm, not knowing what to do next. They hesitate in their uncertainty trying desperately to identify which of their many ideas have the most value. Trapped in the anxiety of too many choices they continue to frustrate themselves with inaction. Until now. Robin Pullen's famous Whiteboard Sessions promises relief from this pain.

Described as the ultimate guide to finding "Your Best Next Step", the Whiteboard Sessions provide a process to discover the order of connections of ideas. Taking into account a person's passions and purpose, Robin Pullen will help the delegate identify the patterns of value, spot the links between their ideas and create a structure that they can work with to realize that value.

Cheryl Reum, seasoned entrepreneur and property specialist and 'Whiteboard Session' from delegate had this to say "Robin is great in his ability to ferret out the stumbling blocks. (This is) a quick effective method to assist in moving for forward. Highly recommended."

With a personalized map in hand speakers, coaching and trainers walk away from their 'Whiteboard Session' with the confidence of a clear understanding their most valuable next steps. Today emerging coaches and aspiring trainers are turning the crisis of chaos into piece of mind as they begin to recognize and understand the bigger picture. Successful speakers are becoming more prominent with the assurance of their own personalized 'Whiteboard Session' map, providing a road map to for action on their Best Next Steps.

Boilerplate:

Robin Pullen is a Professional Public Speaker, Executive Coach, Trusted Adviser and Master Trainer helping people find clarity to get stuff done. As the Result Achievement Expert he specializes in organizational behavior management with an emphasis on desired behavior and a particular focus on reliable and effective work practice. Robin has been described as a understander of people based on his real world experience having developed a working understanding of why people do and do not do and has proven practical tactics and tools to unlock desired outcomes.

Media contact information:

Robin Pullen 
Cell: +27825580709 
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