Why do firms keep hiring narcissistic CEOs?

Our levels of narcissism have been increasing over the past few decades, according to a study conducted by the Department of Psychology at San Diego State University.

Perhaps the rise of social media encouraging us to tout our opinions and the culture of talentless celebrities, who have amassed their brands through self-promotion means it has become less frowned upon to be self-centred, especially in our careers.

The notion of a celebrity ‘CEO’ being a super brand of a firm has also become a trend in recent years.

In an article written for Harvard Business Review by Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a Professor of Business Psychology at the University College London, he cites research by both Schopenhauer and Freud and identifies that the connection between narcissism and leadership is nothing new.