Leadership is a complex concept, deeply rooted in vision, influence, and the ability to mobilize people and resources to achieve shared goals. A strong leader can inspire others to contribute to a collective vision and elevate group performance in pursuit of that vision. Organizational leadership helps businesses, institutions, non-profits, etc. further their organization's missions and goals. As you read this piece reflect on your own leadership skills, goals, and desires.
However, leadership isn’t inherently positive or virtuous. History shows that many influential leaders were far from ethical. As such, it’s essential to distinguish between prosocial leadership—which serves the greater good—and self-serving or exploitative leadership, often associated with darker psychological traits.
Prosocial vs. Dark Trait Leadership
Both prosocial leaders and those with dark personality traits can be effective in driving results. The difference lies in their motivation, ethics, and long-term impact.
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Prosocial leaders act in ways that benefit others. They focus on ethical practices, inclusive decision-making, and sustainable growth. These leaders leave behind stronger organizations and healthier organizations. They strive to adapt, improve systems, and create long-term value for the greatest number of people.
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Leaders with dark triad traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—often pursue short-term goals through manipulation, deceit, or unethical tactics. While they may achieve rapid success or tactical wins, they frequently leave behind weakened organizations and broken trust (investor, employee, people, etc.). Tactics and power leveraging is common.
That said, the distinction between “good” and “bad” leadership isn't always obvious. In practice, many leaders display a blend of traits—some beneficial, some harmful—depending on context, environment, and pressure.
Two articles to review
Balancing Tactics and Vision
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| When you look in the mirror what type of leader are you? What type of leader do you want to be? What do your values say? |
Yet, reality is messier. Leaders with both prosocial and dark traits exist across every layer of society—corporations, government institutions, nonprofits, and more. The behavior of a leader is shaped not just by their personality, but also by their environment: incentives, oversight, and cultural norms all play a role in enabling or restraining harmful behavior.
Which type of leader do you want to be?
What will your goals and aims be?
What types of tools, tactics, strategies, and methods would you use?
(Philosophical Thought Experiment: Leadership During Corruption and Defaults
As a side note, I’ve been exploring a thought experiment related to hate, corruption, and leadership.
Imagine a network—The Clan—composed of corrupt officials and their loyal followers. This group uses public institutions, including the law and courts, to enrich themselves and protect their own. Their loyalty is not to the public/community but to each other, based on social, racial or religious identity (consider any differentiator among people) rather than geography or ancestry.
While the vast majority of officials act ethically and should be enhanced, this subset engages in behavior that some might consider criminal. Still, under the broad definition of leadership as “the act of leading a group,” these individuals could be seen as leaders by some—at least within The Clan and those who share their exclusionary values.
But does leadership only require influence and coordination, or must it also be tied to shared societal values like fairness, justice, etc.? If a “leader” serves only a narrow, unethical cause—while undermining the value of others—can they still be called a leader in any meaningful sense? )
This is, of course, a theoretical exploration for learning purposes—intended to provoke reflection, not assert conclusions.
*Part of a hypothetical philosophical theoretical thought experiment for learning purposes so take with a grain of salt.
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