You've heard of narcissism. But what about organizational narcissism?

"Insincerity is the mother of deceit. Whenever we say something we don't mean, we tell a lie. It may be a small misrepresentation, but it's still a lie as we are being dishonest to hide what we truly think and feel. Repeated insincerity breaks down trust, communication, and understanding. So why do organizations, often without even knowing it, encourage insincerity in their employees? The answer lies a little with social media and a lot in narcissism."

"Since the early 1980s, psychologists have been tracking a steady rise in narcissism: a growing self-consciousness and preoccupation with our image and what other people say about us. The exact cause remains unclear. Changes in parenting styles, increasing individualism, and a cultural obsession with self-esteem have all been blamed. Social media has accelerated the trend, but the rise started well before the likes of Facebook arrived,"

Insincerity equates to lying whenever words do not match true thoughts and feelings. Even small misrepresentations are dishonest and undermine trust. Repeated insincerity degrades communication and understanding. Rising narcissism has increased preoccupation with image and others' perceptions since the early 1980s. Causes are unclear but include changes in parenting, growing individualism, and a cultural focus on self-esteem. Social media has accelerated image curation and brand management for personal and professional identities. Cancel culture and leaders who prize loyalty over competence increase caution and self-monitoring. Organizations exhibit organizational narcissism by demanding visible loyalty and alignment from employees.

Read at Fast Company