Okay, I know that we’ve taken a huge leap here, from the case for incorporating the “why” behind change into strategic leadership communication to suggesting narcissism as a cause of non-communication.  A leap that could land me in a heap of rolling eyeballs.  But hang glide with me a minute.

The inspiration for this turn came from a provocative interview with Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries, the Raoul de Vitry D’Avaucourt Chaired Clinical Professor of Leadership Development, and founder of the Global Leadership Business Center at INSEAD business school.  (His title itself is inspirational!)

De Vries basically suggests, first, that all senior leaders are probably narcissistic – not a bad thing – and second, that narcissism in leaders exists along a continuum from constructive (or creative) to destructive. Narcissism in moderation, he suggests, may be necessary, a source for assertiveness, self-confidence, and creativity.  “People who achieve things,” he says, “have to be somewhat narcissistic, or they wouldn’t be motivated to excellence.” At the other end of the continuum, destructive narcissism can be inordinately, well, …..  destructive, taking down companies, destroying shareholder value, and negatively impacting people’s lives.

The point here is not to indulge in any deep analysis of narcissism in business – a deep pit, indeed – but to suggest one possible answer to the question: “Why don’t some leaders tell ‘why’?” It may be that some leaders are narcissistic enough to assume that if they think it’s the right thing to do, that should be enough.

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Whether or not narcissism has anything to do with why leaders ask employees to engage in change initiatives without telling them “why”, one thing is sure: not providing a compelling rationale for change doesn’t work.

Case in point: the CEO who wouldn’t tell his people “why” they should implement his 35 change initiatives. Shortly after I had (happily) left my consulting engagement with them, he was heard shouting to his inner team, in a voice full of obvious frustration, “I told them what to do!  Why won’t they just do it?!”

He was gone within a year and a half. But not before dragging a lot of people down with him.

And his company?  Still in decline. No need to answer the question, “Why?”