Addressing Selfish Leadership: A CEO’s Guide to Increasing Engagement

Career Climbers / 11th April 2025

Josefine Campbell

Martin was Alfred’s star leader—or so he thought. Charismatic, sharp, and always prepared, Martin dazzled Alfred, the CEO, with his insights and ability to deliver impressive results. In meetings, Martin made Alfred feel supported, capable, and confident in the company’s direction. But what Alfred didn’t see—or chose not to—was the wake of frustration, burnout, and disengagement Martin left in his path.

While Martin was adept at ‘leading upward’, his behavior toward his team was starkly different. He dismissed their ideas, pursued personal wins over collective success, and created a toxic work environment that resulted in high turnover. Yet Alfred, focused on Martin’s upward charm and surface-level outcomes, failed to see the broader damage Martin’s selfish leadership was inflicting on
the organization.

This scenario is all too common. Selfish leadership, which Martin exercises, often thrives in environments where CEOs judge leaders by their own experience with them rather than the impact these leaders have across the organization. Martin and Alfred are some of the main characters in my latest book, ‘12 Tools for Managing a Selfish Leader: Unlock Authenticity for Resilience’. The book is based on real experiences, coaching leaders in large corporate firms.

As a CEO, the challenge is to look beyond the façade and recognize the true effect a leader has on their team and the company culture. Here are five aspects to be aware of when addressing selfish leadership, increasing engagement, and creating an authentic workplace where people engage, thrive, and stay loyal.

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