Brené Brown and Adam Grant recording a podcast together

Mission vs. Ego: The Dangers of Narcissistic Leadership

This week, Brené and Adam are live at SXSW! They explore why so many people are vulnerable to narcissistic leaders. The conversation covers the conditions that breed narcissistic leadership, the roles of shame and fear, and how to survive a narcissistic boss, and what it means to lead with mission over ego.

Why We Fall for Narcissistic Leaders, Starting in Grade School – Adam Grant 2025 NYT
When ‘Me’ Trumps ‘We’: Narcissistic Leaders and the Cultures They Create – O’Reilly et al. 2001
“Shame shields” in The Dare to Lead Glossary: Key Language Skills, Tools, and Practices – Brené Brown (pg. 15–16)
Culture Moderates the Self-Regulation of Shame and Its Effects on Performance – Bagozzi et al. 2003
The Power of Regret – Brené Brown & Dan Pink, Dare to Lead 2022
Awkward Roadtrip Moments: No Ragrets – We’re the Millers (Trailer), 2013
Failures of Kindness – George Saunders, Convocation Speech 2013
Examining the “I” in Team: A Longitudinal Investigation of the Influence of Team Narcissism Composition on Team Outcomes in the NBA – Grijalva et al. 2020
How Brené Brown and Lumen CEO Kate Johnson Sparked This Telecom Comeback – WSJ Leadership Institute 2025 (11:25)
Unless You’re Oprah, ‘Be Yourself’ Is Terrible Advice – Adam Grant 2016 NYT
My response to Adam Grant’s New York Times Op/ED: Unless You’re Oprah, ‘Be Yourself’ Is Terrible Advice – Brené Brown LinkedIn 2016
The Double-Edged Sword of Grandiose Narcissism: Implications for Successful and Unsuccessful Leadership Among U.S. Presidents – Watts et al. 2014

Mission vs. Ego: The Dangers of Narcissistic Leadership

Show Notes