015 | My Obsession with Narcissism

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed that, at times, I reference narcissistic leadership (#narcissisticleadership). You may even believe that I have somewhat of an obsession with narcissism. The reason narcissism tends to be such a big deal to me is 1) my professional experiences and 2) I researched narcissism in leadership for my master's degree. What a revelation! In this episode, I break down what narcissism does to followers' identity and value and I also explain why narcissism is an actual epidemic.

RESOURCES

• The Narcissism Spectrum Model
• "Why Is Narcissism Increasing Among Young Americans?"
• "A rise in narcissism could be one of the main causes of America's political and economic crisis"
• "The Dark Side and Bright Side of Narcissistic Leadership: A Critical Review"
• "Impostor Syndrome, Innovation's Barrier"

014 | Kamala’s Divine Shout Out

During her vice presidential nomination speech, Kamala Harris gave a shout out to the Divine Nine after mentioning her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha. Many of us were pretty excited that she took the time to do so. But why, on the biggest stage of her career and in a such a critical moment, would she do such a thing?

I know exactly why--identity and value. Alpha Kappa Alpha, like so many of our sororities and fraternities, probably helped her figure out who she is and how she influences those around her. Not only that, Divine Nine organizations are built on causes. Listen to me break it down on this episode.

Some Divine Resources:

• A Deeper Look at the Divine Nine's Impact | The Huffington Post
• Black Greek Success Blog | BlackGreekSuccess.org
• Sister Soldiers: A Look at Black Sororities in the Black Lives Matter Movement | Essence
• Loretta Lynch hearing: Why all those red suits in the crowd? | Christian Science Monitor
• Watch the Yard
• Grown and Greek TV

Photo: watchtheyard.com

008 | Understanding Black Philanthropy

WRITE TO BEAR ALMS

It's a throwback on For Our Edification! On this episode, we're going back to the old "Eddie Francis Podcast Show" when Halima had a conversation about Black philanthropy. Her guests were Darryl Lester and Vince Bayyan. The conversation defined Black philanthropy, discussed trends, and the importance of empowering everyday people to be strategic in their giving.

About Darryl Lester

A leading voice in philanthropy, Darryl is the director of Service Year at North Carolina State University's Institute for Emerging Issues. He is also the founder of HindSight Consulting and the Community Investment Network. Darryl had also served as the director of Community Leadership and Programs at the Triangle Community Foundation (NC) and as Trustee of the Warner Foundation. An alumnus of Wofford College(B.A., Economics) and North Carolina State University (M.Ed. in Counselor Education and minor in Psychology), Darryl is a brother of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

About Vince Bayyan

Vince is a former development official at Claflin University and St. Augustine's University. He also has non-profit experience as a former executive director of the YMCA Clarence E. Lightner Youth Leadership Academy in North Carolina. Also a dedicated artist, Vince is the principal partner of Bayyan Ventures and the Arts Conference Event Center. Vince holds a B.A. in Mass Communications from Hampton University.

007 | All the Smoke: Fyre Fest and Narcissistic Leadership

Social media was abuzz in early 2019 when two documentaries about the infamous Fyre Festival dropped on Netflix and Hulu. People could not believe how the event got so out of hand and how the festival's creator, Billy McFarland, seemed oblivious to the harm he caused several parties in the process. I believe the reason is McFarland's narcissism.

Using my professional experience and information I am gathering for my master's degree research, I lay out the signs of narcissistic leadership using the events surrounding Fyre Fest as portrayed in the documentaries. This isn't about McFarland so much as it is about helping people understand how working under narcissistic leaders can adversely affect one's identity and value. Trust me, I know. Not only do we look at warning signs in this episode but also ways people can protect themselves under narcissistic leadership. 

Click the image above for Dr. Ramani's web site. For her great TED talk on narcissism, click here.

SOURCES

Leader Narcissism and Outcomes in Organizations: A Review at Multiple Levels of Analysis and Implications for Future Research by Susanne Braun

The Narcissism Spectrum Model: A Synthetic View of Narcissistic Personality by Zlatan Krizan and Anne Herlache

How to Handle Narcissistic Abuse by Darlene Lancer

Narcissistic Leaders: The Incredible Pros, the Inevitable Cons by Michael Maccoby

8 Types of Narcissists -- Including One to Stay Away From at All Costs by Kristen Milstead

Narcissistic Leaders and Their Victims: Followers Low on Self-Esteem and Low on Core Self-Evaluations Suffer Most by Barbara Nevicka, Annebel De Hoogh, Deanne Den Hartog & Frank Belschak

The Narcissism Epidemic and What We Can Do About It by Joe Pierre

EDITORIAL NOTE

I made a reference to the Op Ed Project during my "to be sure." Please take time to find out more about this great organization.