If Humble People Make the Best Leaders, Why Do We Fall for Charismatic Narcissists?
by Margarita Mayo
The research is clear: when we choose humble, unassuming people as our leaders, the world around us becomes a better place.
研究结果很明确，当人们选择谦逊，不摆官架子的人当领导者，世界会更美好。
Humble leaders improve the performance of a company in the long run because they create more collaborative environments. They have a balanced view of themselves – both their virtues and shortcomings – and a strong appreciation of others’ strengths and contributions, while being open to new ideas and feedback. These “unsung heroes” help their believers to build their self-esteem, go beyond their expectations, and create a community that channels individual efforts into an organized group that works for the good of the collective.
从长期来看，谦逊的领导者可以推动公司业绩发展，因为他们能营造更加合作的氛围。这种领导者对自我的看法也比较公正，不管优点还是缺点都能正确看待，而且擅长发掘他人身上的长处和做出的贡献，比较愿意接受新鲜想法和反馈。此类领导都是“无名英雄”，会帮助追随者建立自信，表现超出预期，营造良好的团队氛围，协助个人尽可能为公司贡献力量。
For example, one study examined 105 small-to-medium-sized companies in the computer software and hardware industry in the United Studies. The findings revealed that when a humble CEO is at the helm of a firm, its top management team is more likely to collaborate and share information, making the most of the firm’s talent.
举个例子，一项对美国软硬件行业105家中小企业的研究显示，如果企业的CEO个性谦逊，高管团队更有可能精诚合作，共享信息，尽可能发挥人才的能量。
Another study showed that a leader’s humility can be contagious: when leaders behave humbly, followers emulate their modest attitude and behavior. A study of 161 teams found that employees following humble leaders were themselves more likely to admit their mistakes and limitations, share the spotlight by deflecting praise to others, and be open to new ideas, advice, and feedback.
另一项研究显示领导者的谦逊会感染他人：如果领导者行为低调，身边的人也会模仿其态度和行为方式。还有一项对161个团队的研究显示，跟着谦逊领导者的员工更愿意承认自身不足和限制，也更愿意跟他人分享鲜花和掌声，在接纳新想法新建议和反馈意见方面也表现更好。
Yet instead of following the lead of these unsung heroes, we appear hardwired to search for superheroes: over-glorifying leaders who exude charisma.
然而人们并不是总愿意跟随谦逊的无名英雄，而是更喜欢超级英雄：浑身散发个人魅力的自大型领导者。
The Greek word Kharisma means “divine gift,” and charisma is the quality of extraordinary charm, magnetism, and presence that makes a person capable of inspiring others with enthusiasm and devotion. German sociologist Max Weber defined charisma as “of divine origin or as exemplary, and on the basis of it, the individual concerned is treated as a leader.” Research evidence on charismatic leadership reveals that charismatic people are more likely to become endorsed as leaders because of their high energy, unconventional behavior, and heroic deeds.
魅力的希腊原文是Kharisma，意思是“神的礼物”，魅力的含义是极具风度、个人吸引力，能感染其他人的热情和投入。德国社会学家马克思·韦伯（Max Weber）将魅力定义为“具有神圣根源或有表率作用，具备这些特质的人会被当成领导者。”关于个人魅力型领导力的研究证据显示，之所以个人魅力突出的人容易当上领导者，是因为他们精力充沛，行为不拘泥于常规，且有英雄风范。
While charisma is conductive to orchestrating positive large-scale transformations, there can be a “dark side” to charismatic leadership. Jay Conger and Rabindra Kanungo describe it this way in their seminal book: “Charismatic leaders can be prone to extreme narcissism that leads them to promote highly self-serving and grandiose aims.” A clinical study illustrates that when charisma overlaps with narcissism, leaders tend to abuse their power and take advantage of their followers. Another study indicates that narcissistic leaders tend to present a bold vision of the future, and this makes them more charismatic in the eyes of others.
魅力确实能产生影响力，大规模推动积极的转变，但魅力型领导方式也有“阴暗面”。杰伊·康格（Jay Conger）和拉宾德拉·凯南格（Rabindra Kanungo）在著作中称：“魅力型领导者容易陷入极端自恋，追求自私又不切实际的目标。”临床试验也显示，当魅力与自恋结合起来，领导者容易滥用权力，利用追随者。另一项研究称自恋型领导者倾向于大胆畅想将来，在他人眼中反而增加了魅力。
Why are such leaders more likely to rise to the top? One study suggests that despite being perceived as arrogant, narcissistic individuals radiate “an image of a prototypically effective leader.” Narcissistic leaders know how to draw attention toward themselves. They enjoy the visibility. It takes time for people to see that these early signals of competence are not later realized, and that a leader’s narcissism reduces the exchange of information among team members and often negatively affects group performance.
为什么自恋型领导者更有可能升到高层？一项研究称，虽然自恋的人看起来傲慢，往往也散发出“高效领导者形象。”自恋型领导者非常了解如何将吸引力转移到自己身上。他们享受万人瞩目。人们要花很多时间才能领悟，看似适合领导者的素质其实并不能一一兑现，而且领导者的自恋情绪会影响团队成员互相交流信息，导致业绩下滑。
It’s not that charismatic and narcissistic people can’t ever make good leaders. In some circumstances, they can. For example, one study found that narcissistic CEOs “favor bold actions that attract attention, resulting in big wins or big losses.” A narcissistic leader thus can represent a high-risk, high-reward proposition.
并不是说魅力型和自恋型人就没法成为优秀的领导者。某些情况下还是有可能的。举个例子，一项研究显示自恋型CEO“热爱能吸引注意力的大胆举动，结果不是大赚就是大赔。”因此自恋型领导者比较适合高风险高收益的任务。
And it’s not that humble leaders can’t ever be charismatic. Researchers agree that we could classify charismatic leaders as “negative” or “positive” by their orientation toward pursuing their self-interested goals versus those of their groups. These two sides of charismatic leadership have also been called personalized and socialized charisma. Although the socialized charismatic leader has the aura of a hero, it is counteracted with low authoritarianism and a genuine interest in the collective welfare. In contrast, the personalized charismatic leader’s perceived heroism is coupled with high authoritarianism and high narcissism. It is when followers are confused and disoriented that they are more likely to form personalized relationships with a charismatic leader. Socialized relationships, on the other hand, are established by followers with a clear set of values who view the charismatic leader as a means to achieve collective action.
这也并不意味着谦逊的领导者没机会展现魅力。研究显示我们可以通过倾向追求个人目标还是以集体目标为先，将魅力型领导者分为“消极型”或者“积极型”。这两种领导魅力也可以称为个人型和社会型魅力。虽然社会型魅力的领导者也会散发英雄气概，但由于不够霸气而且比较关注集体利益，英雄气质会受到削弱。与之相反，个人魅力型领导者的气质伴随着极端独裁和高度自恋。当追随者感觉困惑而且看不清方向时，比较容易孕育出个人魅力型英雄。另一方面，如果追随者价值观比较清晰，只将领导者的魅力当成实现集体目标的手段，就会选择社会魅力型领导者。
The problem is that we select negative charismatic leaders much more frequently than in the limited situations where the risk they represent might pay off. Despite their grandiose view of themselves, low empathy, dominant orientation toward others, and strong sense of entitlement, their charisma proves irresistible. Followers of superheroes are enthralled by their showmanship: through their sheer magnetism, narcissistic leaders transform their environments into a competitive game in which their followers also become more self-centered, giving rise to organizational narcissism, as one study shows.
问题在于我们经常会选出充满消极型魅力的领导者，实际上情况并没有糟糕到需要这样的领导者拯救。虽然这种人总是高看自己，没有同情心，对他人指手画脚，还喜欢争名夺利，但他们的魅力就是让人难以抗拒。一项研究显示，追随者容易被超级英雄的气场所折服：通过强大的吸引力，自恋型领导者可以将周边改造为竞争游戏，追随者也跟着变得以自我为中心，最后变成集体自恋。
If humble leaders are more effective than narcissistic leaders, why do we so often choose narcissistic individuals to lead us?
如果谦逊型领导者比自恋型领导者更加高效呢，为什么我们还会经常选择自恋的人领导我们？
The “romance of leadership” hypothesis suggests that we generally have a biased tendency to understand social events in terms of leadership and people tend to romanticize the figure of the leader.
“领导传奇”假说认为，人们看待社会事件时往往会高估领导人物的作用，而且倾向于用传奇方式解读领导人物的形象。
My own research shows that our psychological states can also bias our perceptions of charismatic leaders. High levels of anxiety make us hungry for charisma. As a result, crises increase not only the search for charismatic leaders, but also our tendency to perceive charisma in the leaders we already follow.
我自己的研究显示，人们的心理状态也会导致对魅力型领导者的看法出现偏差。如果感到焦虑，会格外需要魅力十足的领导者。结果是，危机中不仅会刺激人们寻找魅力型领导者，也会倾向于认为现在跟随的领导者更有魅力。
Economic and social crises thus become a unique testing ground for charismatic leaders. They create conditions of distress and uncertainty that appear to be ideal for the ascent of charismatic figures. Yet at the same time, they also make us more vulnerable to choosing the wrong leader. Crises and other emotionally laden events increase our propensity to romanticize the grandiose view of narcissistic leaders. The paradox is that we may then choose to support the very leaders who are less likely to bring us success. In a time of crisis, it’s easy to be seduced by superheroes who could come and “rescue” us, but who possibly then plunge us into greater peril.
所以说，经济和社会危机都是魅力型领导者最好的测试场。危机中充满各种痛苦和不确定性，非常适合充满魅力的人物崛起。然而同时，人们也更有可能选出错误的领导者。危机中，以及其他影响情绪的事件中，自恋型领导者不切实际的想象更容易受到人们的拥护。矛盾在于，这种情况下选出的领导者带领大家成功的机会有可能更低。危机中的人们容易受到超级英雄前来“拯救众生”的说法诱惑，但实际上选出的人可能只会将大家带入更黑暗的深渊。
While this may sound hopeless, there is another way of looking at it. Essentially, we have the leaders we deserve. As we collectively select and construct our leaders to satisfy our own needs and desires, we can choose humility or socialized charisma over narcissism.
听起来可能有点令人绝望，但也可以换个角度看。本质上，选出什么样的领导者，说明众人就是配什么样的领导者。我们共同选择拥护领导者是为了满足需要和愿望，所以完全可以选择谦逊型或社会魅力型领导者，放弃自恋狂。
（时青靖 | 编辑）
玛格丽特·梅约是马德里IE商学院领导力和组织行为学教授。最近她入选50位思想家榜单，跻身2017年30位思想领导之列。她的新书《此致：领导工作和生活中如何面对真实的自己》（Yours Truly: How to Stay True to Your Authentic Self in Leadershipand Life）将于2018年由布鲁姆斯伯里出版社出版。
