Narcissistic vs. Covenant Leadership: Styles and Impact

Introduction

Narcissistic leaders are part of society and take on roles that promote, at times, progress and, at other times, chaos. This is because the narcissistic leader cares primarily about him or herself (Maccoby, 2012). Although such leaders may be useful in certain settings, in others they can create long-term damage among subordinates and followers. Covenant leadership, on the other hand, generates the highest-performing leaders through motivated, high-trust, and committed relationships. These leaders have a strong understanding of life through the successful integration of ethics and leadership, applying both the private and public aspects of life into an integrated whole. The problem with covenant leadership is that it takes time to build such connections, leading to frustration and difficulties in the short term.

Narcissism has its roots in the Greek myth of Narcissus — a young man who falls in love with his own reflection in a stream (Maccoby, 2012). Although a nymph named Echo loves him, he does not care, as he is consumed by self-love. Echo dies from the rejection, and Narcissus dies from refusing to drink the water in the stream. This story illustrates how the narcissistic leader can be drawn to position and power, and how that pursuit can lead to ruin.

When looking at the roots of covenant leadership, one need look no further than the covenants made with God. Moses, Abraham, Noah, and others have all witnessed covenants that God made with humanity, and especially through his Son, Jesus Christ (Roshwald & Roshwald, 1969). Covenant represents giving and putting the needs of others first. It is indicative of a kind and nurturing relationship that allows for growth and progress (Suchorsky, 2012). These aspects of the covenant are what make covenant leadership such a positive force in leaders who execute this style. It provides leaders with the means to care for others and allow for the greater good of the group to be realized. This essay examines both leadership styles, exploring how the narcissistic leadership style causes problems and how the covenant leadership style can offer solutions.

Narcissistic Leadership: Origins and Characteristics

The narcissistic personality denotes people who need to be in control and crave attention (Klein, Rice, & Schermer, 2011). Although this can be a problematic trait, it can also produce benefits. Because these leaders exude an exploitative nature, they can and do take advantage of others to complete an objective. This may sound callous, but regarding the necessity of completing goals, it can be effective in certain settings. For example, in the business setting where profit is the primary concern, narcissistic leaders can generate higher profits by cutting costs through lowering wages. They would also be more prone to recommend outsourcing labor, leading to reduced overall expenses and higher profit margins.

Narcissistic leaders also tend to display arrogant attitudes and inflated self-esteem that may create devotion among followers. Followers sometimes crave a confident leader (Klein, Rice, & Schermer, 2011). Such leaders give the appearance of skill through the guise of superiority and grandiosity. However, as God warns in the Bible, those who are narcissistic are bound to yield ruin:

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people (2 Timothy 3:1–7, ESV).

Because these leaders represent the negative traits of humanity, their selfish attitudes will lead to problems in the long run. Some perceived narcissistic leaders of the past enjoyed initial successes, but ultimately ended in turmoil — Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler are frequently cited examples (Miller & Campbell, 2013). The narcissistic leader gives the impression of competence but lacks the true substance of great leadership due to the many negative character traits associated with narcissism.

Clinical narcissism is defined as a collection of dysfunctional self-obsessions. Estimates suggest that approximately 1% of the population has this disorder. Problems that can arise from people who exhibit it include an utter lack of realistic perception of others and outside circumstances, as well as an insatiable need to be adored and to gain attention. This can lead to reckless behaviors to maintain relevance in the public eye, manipulation of others, and delusions of grandeur (Miller & Campbell, 2013). Such a lack of understanding can be detrimental to the emotional and mental health of those around them.

Still, a number of successful narcissistic leaders have transformed society. Bill Gates, for example, is identified as a narcissistic leader. Although he seemingly exhibits these traits, having a balancing partner enabled him to create an enterprise that produced enormous success for himself and his subordinates. This is because the narcissistic leader is often highly driven to achieve — assertive, confident, and almost relentless in the desire to accomplish objectives.

Narcissistic leaders can also be categorized as extreme risk-takers (Miller & Campbell, 2013). Such a drive for success and a willingness to go to extremes can produce positive results for the leader and the organization or team he or she leads. While these leaders can easily develop traits that lean toward harmful actions and chaotic relationships, those same traits can also lead to great transformations. This is why this type of leader is sometimes valued.

Covenant Leadership: Principles and Benefits

The covenant leader is the opposite of a narcissistic leader. A covenant leader emphasizes the relationship between leaders and followers. There is no pursuit of adoration or desire to influence others for personal gain. The focus is on the management of relationships and an understanding that each party has responsibilities and duties to the other (Hanson, 2015). Although not as prominently celebrated as the narcissistic leader, the covenant leader helps develop trust and collaboration among those who exhibit or experience this leadership style.

Traits of covenant leaders include avoiding conceit and selfish behavior, giving credit to others, seeking ways to build others up, and caring for the wellbeing of followers. This pattern is seen throughout the Bible in God's relationship with the Israelites, as illustrated in Psalm 105:8. By maintaining a focus on ethics and integrity within a relationship, this commitment can bring out the best in people and create a form of long-lasting success that promotes cooperation and trust (Hanson, 2015).

The organizational impact of the covenant leader comes with both benefits and challenges. One challenge is a potential lack of drive toward achievement. With a focus on the quality of relationships, covenant leadership may place other priorities lower on the list (Hanson, 2015). This can be detrimental in business when deadlines are pressing. While cooperation and collaboration are admirable goals, they may not be feasible in the short term.

Disaster situations are one such scenario. These circumstances require quick decision-making, placing relationship-building low on the priority list. Here a narcissistic leader may shine, as these leaders tend to make faster decisions and are more willing to take risks, whereas the covenant leader may be too focused on the wellbeing of followers to act decisively in the moment.

Still, there are many benefits to covenant leadership. The first is clarity. Covenant leaders often possess a heightened sense of morality and ethics. They are attuned to their values, know what they stand for, and will not allow others to obscure their vision. This can be seen in the book of Exodus, which recounts how Moses led his people out of Egypt (Roshwald & Roshwald, 1969). Moses knew what he stood for and knew he had to do what was best for his people. Although the journey was long and arduous, through the guidance of God and Moses' strong sense of morality and honor, he managed to lead the Israelites out of slavery. His vision was clear and enabled a victory over oppression.

The second benefit is control. Unlike the highly unstable narcissistic leader, the covenant leader is in control. Because of the clarity of vision, these leaders know what they must do and cannot be easily swayed by outside influences. They do not crave followers or admirers, and they tend to stick to their principles and objectives.

The third benefit is consistency. Covenant leaders make consistent decisions regardless of the circumstances or crises they confront. Their value systems allow them to continue making stable choices, demonstrating to followers a reliability in both action and thought.

The fourth benefit is contentment. Covenant leaders do not require adoration the way narcissistic leaders do. They do not need constant attention or accolades (Hanson, 2015). They are content with the decisions they make and with who they are as people. Their value systems play an inherent role in how they view themselves and their relationship with the world.

Conclusion

The world is full of variety and multiplicity, and also filled with darkness and light. While there are various scenarios that place the covenant leader as the ideal choice, there are equally many scenarios that favor the narcissistic leader. People operate in either balance or extremes, and history — including the stories recorded in the Bible — has repeatedly demonstrated this. Scripture offers accounts of both war and salvation in which narcissistic and covenant leaders played defining roles.

Moses was a covenant leader who, through his faith in God, managed to lead the Israelites to a new home. In the same story, the pharaoh of Exodus led his people toward destruction in pursuit of a selfish goal. These two extremes illustrate how different leadership styles can bring out the best and worst in people and produce positive or negative outcomes accordingly. While the Bible presents covenant leaders as more virtuous, history also provides clear examples where narcissistic leaders excelled.

The business world demonstrates the benefits of the narcissistic leader in reshaping and transforming society. Bill Gates introduced the public to personal computing. His extreme risk-taking and relentless drive to succeed produced major success for himself and those who worked alongside him, highlighting the upside of narcissism when channeled constructively.

Still, for those who seek long-term satisfaction, trust, and communication, the covenant leadership style is the superior means of achieving those ends. The development plan outlined above shows how covenant leadership can yield positive outcomes in specific organizational settings. Furthermore, covenant leadership provides the consistency and clarity needed for long-term improvement — both in individuals and in the groups they lead.