Leadership, Psychoanalysis, and Society

EPILOGUE, LEADERSHIP, PSYCHOANALYSIS, AND SOCIETY

Michael Maccoby and Mauricio Cortina

Now that the dynamics of leader-follower relationships and the personality of leaders have been addressed, two critical questions need to be answered. The first, how can we keep toxic leaders from gaining power? The second, how can we develop effective and, in Jon Stokes’ term, inspiring leaders who promote progressive human development rather than division, oppression, and regression?

Recognizing toxic narcissists before they gain power can be difficult. Some of them, like Napoleon Bonaparte, start out as innovators and liberators and only become toxic later. In contrast, some narcissists, like Steve Jobs, start out as exploitative and abusive, but learn ...