We are fast becoming a nation of narcissists, at least according to a recent study by psychologists Jean Twenge and W. Keith Campbell. In their book “Living in the Age of Entitlement,” the two present findings from a survey of more than 37,000 college students showing that narcissistic personality traits rose as fast as obesity from the 1980s to the present.

Why?

The driving force behind narcissistic behavior is an individual’s belief that he or she is unique or exceptional in some way. 

The origins of this attitude can often be traced to adult caretakers providing a child continuous positive feedback without the boundaries and discipline necessary for learning their own and others’ limits.

Sometimes an individual’s history of exclusion, rejection, and/or illness can create a belief in his or her own exceptionality – in other words, the individual is exceptional by the virtue of having experienced challenging circumstances. These individuals’ public self-confidence masks private self-doubt; however, their negative feelings may be so deeply buried that they are inaccessible.

Although some criticize Twenge and Campbell’s study as little more than kids-these-days moralizing, just the thought of an influx of arrogant, self-promoting members of generations Y (Millennials) and Z (Digital Natives) keeps many managers and HR practitioners up at night.

But what if narcissism wasn’t necessarily a bad thing? To find out more, download our ebook The Upside of Narcissism in the Workplace. 

We are fast becoming a nation of narcissists, at least according to a recent study by psychologists Jean Twenge and W. Keith Campbell. In their book “Living in the Age of Entitlement,” the two present findings from a survey of more than 37,000 college students showing that narcissistic personality traits rose as fast as obesity from the 1980s to the present.

Why?

The driving force behind narcissistic behavior is an individual’s belief that he or she is unique or exceptional in some way. 

The origins of this attitude can often be traced to adult caretakers providing a child continuous positive feedback without the boundaries and discipline necessary for learning their own and others’ limits.

Sometimes an individual’s history of exclusion, rejection, and/or illness can create a belief in his or her own exceptionality – in other words, the individual is exceptional by the virtue of having experienced challenging circumstances. These individuals’ public self-confidence masks private self-doubt; however, their negative feelings may be so deeply buried that they are inaccessible.

Although some criticize Twenge and Campbell’s study as little more than kids-these-days moralizing, just the thought of an influx of arrogant, self-promoting members of generations Y (Millennials) and Z (Digital Natives) keeps many managers and HR practitioners up at night.

But what if narcissism wasn’t necessarily a bad thing? To find out more, download our ebook The Upside of Narcissism in the Workplace. 

Psychologist Dr. Robert Hogan, an international authority on personality assessment and leadership, contends that great leadership stems from the skills and personality of the leader, rather than the position itself. Hogan’s personality assessments are used by more than half of the Fortune 500 and his influence is felt in boardrooms around the world. While he is optimistic that organizations can improve leadership and operational effectiveness, he is highly critical of how leadership assessment and succession planning are carried out in the public and private organizations today. Find out more in our Leadership Myths & Truths Q&A. 

Psychologist Dr. Robert Hogan, an international authority on personality assessment and leadership, contends that great leadership stems from the skills and personality of the leader, rather than the position itself. Hogan’s personality assessments are used by more than half of the Fortune 500 and his influence is felt in boardrooms around the world. While he is optimistic that organizations can improve leadership and operational effectiveness, he is highly critical of how leadership assessment and succession planning are carried out in the public and private organizations today. Find out more in our Leadership Myths & Truths Q&A. 

Every office has a resident narcissist – that guy who never seems afraid to toot his own horn. But what if that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing?

Narcissistic individuals believe their own superior talent and typically resist developmental feedback. If personal development is presented as a strategy for advancing their personal agenda, however, narcissistic individuals can be persuaded to:

• Lower their expectations for special treatment, and try to accept responsibility for their occasional mistakes
• Recognize that they ignore negative feedback, and seek feedback from family, and friends who are not competitors and whose feedback is usually well-meaning
• Stop regarding team interactions as opportunities for competition in which only one person can win; remember that they real competition is outside the organization, not within it
• Realize that subordinates are most likely to be productive when they feel respected; learn how to offer positive feedback to others when they contribute
• Use their confidence, energy, and determination to motivate rather than intimidate others

It comes down to self-awareness. If you provide your employees with a realistic understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and behavioral tendencies, they can harness the positive outcomes associated with narcissism and avoid taking it overboard.

To find out more, download our ebook The Upside of Narcissism in the Workplace. 

Every office has a resident narcissist – that guy who never seems afraid to toot his own horn. But what if that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing?

Narcissistic individuals believe their own superior talent and typically resist developmental feedback. If personal development is presented as a strategy for advancing their personal agenda, however, narcissistic individuals can be persuaded to:

• Lower their expectations for special treatment, and try to accept responsibility for their occasional mistakes
• Recognize that they ignore negative feedback, and seek feedback from family, and friends who are not competitors and whose feedback is usually well-meaning
• Stop regarding team interactions as opportunities for competition in which only one person can win; remember that they real competition is outside the organization, not within it
• Realize that subordinates are most likely to be productive when they feel respected; learn how to offer positive feedback to others when they contribute
• Use their confidence, energy, and determination to motivate rather than intimidate others

It comes down to self-awareness. If you provide your employees with a realistic understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and behavioral tendencies, they can harness the positive outcomes associated with narcissism and avoid taking it overboard.

To find out more, download our ebook The Upside of Narcissism in the Workplace. 

In a recent book chapter, Hogan's Jarrett Shalhoop and Michael Sanger explore the nature of Chinese leadership through the lens of personality and values and explain how these differ from leadership styles of three countries with large trade interests in China -- the U.S., Germany and Australia. For organizations that must select managers for cross-cultural assignments, recognizing the divergent traits and behaviors inherent in Chinese managers, and how they play out with their manager, direct reports and colleagues at a similar level, is needed to ensure that individuals are placed into the right management roles.

Read the full article from Yahoo! News

 

The HR world is already atwitter with a brand new batch of buzzwords. But wait! Here are five of last year’s biggest buzzwords that will still matter in 2013. 

LEADERSHIP
“To me, there is only one talent management issue, and it never changes: leadership. What also never changes is the fact that businesses don’t understand this, which is why they put so many self-serving assholes in leadership positions.”  - Dr. Robert Hogan

After what seemed like a never-ending election cycle, the last thing anyone wants to keep talking about is leadership. But it’s something we can’t afford to ignore. Competent leadership is crucial for a company to succeed. Yet, research indicates that two-thirds of the leaders in corporate America will fail. Why? Check out this free ebook to find out.  

GAME CHANGERS
At any given organization, 20% of employees account for 80% of productivity. They are the game changers, and in 2013, companies are going to have to work hard to attract, develop, and retain employees capable of creating value and driving growth. How would Hogan do it? Download From Potential to Performance to find out. 

MULTI-GENERATION WORKFORCE
Although they aren’t necessarily the entitled slackers the media made them out to be, Millennials (Generation Y) and Digital Natives (Generation Z) work differently than older generations. Organizations need to work to separate fact from fiction when it comes to generational differences in order to leverage the experience of their older employees and build the talent bench of the future. Need a place to start? Check out this blog. 

TALENT ANALYTICS
The HR world was all abuzz with talk of Big Data last year, and rightly so; many organizations are sitting on a mountain of data about their people. This year, the challenge is for those companies to find a way to effectively analyze, understand, and leverage those data to make their organizations run better. What kind of data do we have? Check out the Hogan archive. 

ENGAGEMENT
Employee engagement matters. Engaged employees are more satisfied and more productive, and productivity ties directly to the bottom line. In 2013, we hope to see a reduction in Hawaiian-shirt Fridays and a genuine effort by organizations to identify and fix the root cause of low engagement. Here’s a hint: it’s their leaders. Want more? Check out our free white paper. 

In a recent book chapter, Hogan’s Jarrett Shalhoop and Michael Sanger explore the nature of Chinese leadership through the lens of personality and values and explain how these differ from leadership styles of three countries with large trade interests in China — the U.S., Germany and Australia. For organizations that must select managers for cross-cultural assignments, recognizing the divergent traits and behaviors inherent in Chinese managers, and how they play out with their manager, direct reports and colleagues at a similar level, is needed to ensure that individuals are placed into the right management roles.

Read the full article from Yahoo! News