When Is Just Enough Too Much?
I was asked to speak recently to a group of staff partners in a large legal firm about culture and the link between behaviour and high/low performance at work. The media was in a feeding frenzy (and still is) about Ben Cousins and as I thought about some of the qualities that contribute to high performance like strong achievement drive, unwavering focus, unbending discipline, it occurred to me that a lot of those qualities, in higher doses could manifest as narcissistic, perfectionistic and obsessoid behaviours and therefore be quite maladaptive, even destructive. In other contexts ‘dark side’ behaviours could well be situational strengths.
What examples have you seen in your workplace of self belief that comes across as arrogance, authoritive leadership that feels like bullying to the recipient, confident decision making that smacks of ingenuine consultation? Is it just a matter of degree or is something else at work here?
Leanne Faraday-Brash
Latest Article:
When Is Just Enough Too Much - The Dark Side of Leader Behaviour©
the Workplace Justice Consortium website: www.workplacejustice.com.au
