Anbody who has followed politics even marginally will not find this at all surprising:
When a group is without a leader, you can often count on a narcissist to take charge, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that people who score high in narcissism tend to take control of leaderless groups. Narcissism is a trait in which people are self-centered, exaggerate their talents and abilities, and lack empathy for others.
I've spent the last few weeks interviewing candidates for local and state office. And I must say . . . well, I don't really need to say, do I? And while narcissists lack empathy for others, they also have a desperate need to be validated by the opinion of others. Just think about that if you have the stomach to watch the third (finally!) McCain-Obama debate. We are generally led by people whose main qualification is that they have always wanted to lead.
I have to say, though, that when I'm in a group that has no clear direction, I tend to drift into taking over. Usually, though, it's just because I want the meeting to get over with as soon as possible.
