abstract: I develop and test theoretical hypotheses for how employees' authenticity at work influences their motivational, relational, and effectiveness outcomes. These hypotheses are grounded in the idea that when individuals feel they display their true selves at work, they can more fully employ their physical, cognitive and emotional energies in their work roles, which in turn leads to higher levels of employee effectiveness (e.g., task performance, perceived value to the organization, and promotability). In addition to this personal motivational process, individuals who are more authentic also develop high-quality relationships with their coworkers, thereby receiving more instrumental support and minimizing the antagonistic encounters they have with their colleagues. Both types of coworker interactions should, in turn, also influence the focal individual's effectiveness at work. Finally, I hypothesize that the relationships between authenticity and these relational and effectiveness outcomes are moderated by certain personality traits, such that when an individual is highly narcissistic, has very low self-esteem, or has strongly held values or beliefs generally perceived to be negative or deviant, the relationships change: authenticity's positive influence on coworker instrumental support becomes less positive, and authenticity's negative influence on coworker incivility becomes less negative. These moderation effects are expected for employee effectiveness as well. The sample used to test these hypotheses consisted of 102 employees and their 16 supervisors from two private companies headquartered in the Southwest United States. Authenticity was found to be positively associated with employee engagement, coworker instrumental support, and employee effectiveness, and negatively associated with coworker incivility. Once other factors were controlled for, significant relationships remained with employee engagement and coworker support. Contrary to expectations, neither engagement nor coworker interactions mediated the authenticity-employee effectiveness relationship. A dark side of authenticity was found for two of the three personality traits: self-esteem moderated the relationship between authenticity and coworker instrumental support, such that when self-esteem was low, the relationship between authenticity and coworker support was significantly weaker. Additionally, narcissism moderated the relationship between authenticity and employee effectiveness such that when narcissism was low, the relationship between authenticity and effectiveness was positive, but when narcissism was high, the relationship became negative. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Business Administration 2014

The overall purpose of the study is to investigate narcissistic leadership in the Swedish Armed Forces. Since research on narcissism in the Swedish Armed Forces is an unexplored area the research design has an open and unconditional attitude to the research area. This open and explorative approach is achieved through using the method Grounded Theory. The results show that the informants have experienced narcissistic leadership in the Swedish Armed Forces. In addition, the results indicate that such leadership, from a career point of view, can be competitive, but over time is doomed to fail. The empirical data illustrates examples of that military leaders with narcissistic personality traits can advance in the hierarchy and potentially cause harm to the organization. Empirical data also indicates that there are many difficulties associated with identifying narcissists in the Swedish Armed Forces. This can possibly be correlated with the fact that the traits associated with grandiose narcissism substantially overlaps with what we think of as transformational leadership. The aim of the study is relevant since destructive narcissistic leaders annually lead several companies and organizations to ruin, causing great expense and much suffering among their followers.

Research has shown that managerial leaders have a higher motivational need for power than those in other positions. A leader's personality traits have been shown to affect organizational performance. Leaders who score high in dark traits (undesirable personality attributes shown to predict career derailment across organizations, levels, and positions) could also be more likely to use company resources for personal gain. There is a paucity of research examining the correlation between managerial dark traits and the need for power. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between managers' dark trait scores as measured by the Hogan Development Survey (HDS), and their motivational need for power as measured by the Hogan Motives, Values, and Preference Inventory (MVPI). The effect of Ambition as measured by the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) was used as a mediating variable upon dark traits scores and the need for power. The dependent variable in this study was the need for power, and the independent variables were the 11 personality traits measured by the HDS. Participants were managers and executives provided by Hogan Assessments database (N = 500). Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between the dark traits of those who move against others and their need for power. Ambition had a small effect in mediating the dark trait scores and the need for power. If selection committees could use the HDS and remove candidates with high scores in dark traits that move against others, they could remove many who could be likely to abuse the executive position through a strong need for power. Potentially destructive leaders could be avoided, leadership career derailment could be averted, and even corporate criminal activity might be prevented.

Mobbning på arbetsplatser är ett stort samhällsproblem. År 2013 rapporterades 8 % av de arbetsrelaterade sjukdomar som anmälts till försäkringskassan vara orsakade av kränkningar, mobbning och trakasserier. Ohälsa, tvångstankar, ångest, depression, och posttraumatisk stress är vanligt förekommande hos de som utsatts för mobbning. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur mörka personlighetsdrag samt ledarskapsstilar predicerar mobbning, baserat på data från observatörer av mobbning. Studiens två regressionsmodeller uppvisades en skillnad i varians, där den senare, som inkluderade även ledarens ledarstil och mörka personlighetsdrag, förklarade 8% mer av variationen i observerad mobbning än den modell som bara analyserade mobbaren. En rimlig slutsats är därför att ledarens ledarstil och mörka personlighetsdrag kan vara avgörande för förekomsten av mobbning. / Bullying at workplaces is a major problem among societys. In 2013, 8% of the occupational diseases reported to the Swedish insurance fund were reported to be caused by violations, bullying and harassment. Illnesses, obsessive thoughts, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress are common in those who have been subjected to bullying. The purpose of the study was to investigate how dark personality traits and leadership styles predict bullying based on data from bullying observers. The two regression models in the study's showed a difference in variance, where the latter, which included the leader's leadership style and dark personality traits, explained 8% more of the variation in perceived bullying than the model that only analysed the bully, not including the leader. A reasonable conclusion is therefore that the leader's leadership style and dark personality traits can be decisive for the occurrence of bullying.