Introduction
• Draws attention to the conditions that give rise to pathological leadership
• Outlines the purpose and methodology of the book
1 The Dark Cloud of Crowds
• Analyses the development of populist movements with reference to Nazi Germany.
• Discusses contemporary conditions that support the rise of populist movements, including the enabling roles played by social media and the internet.
• Examines crowd psychology in terms of the “selfish herd”, “mimicry”, etc.
2 Let’s Install Leaders for Life
• Offers a tongue-in-cheek Swiftian proposal that proposes – in a satirical manner – that there are merits to installing “leaders for life”.
• Provides specific analysis of Donald Trump, Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, Mugabe, and others.
3 The Little Drum Boy or the Rise and Fall of a Flawed Leaders
• Through the creation of a modern-day fairy tale, the text describes the rise and fall of one “Little Drum Boy”, with obvious reference the 45th president of the United States.
• Detailed examination of the psychological factors that shaped the leadership style of “Little Drum”, including his personal traits, skills, and family dynamics.
4 A Strange Tale of Hatred
• Framed by the tale of a leader named “Bolsonaro”, this chapter provides a psychological
examination of hatred and how it is deployed by pathological leaders.
• In addition to analyzing hatred, the chapter also looks at anger, contempt, self-righteousness, and other emotions utilized by demagogic leaders.
5 I won’t. Therefore I am.
• Offers the tale of a queen who wishes to preserve her country by divorcing it from the larger federation of which it has been a part. The tale functions as an analogy of Brexit from a psychological viewpoint.
• Provides a psychological analysis of the queen’s motivations and personality traits, including her stubbornness, fear of an attack on her inner core, inclination to hold on to grudges and past injuries, etc.
• Looks to reveal the underlying condition that create such a psychological state, such as the separation-individuation matrix.
• Concludes with a discussion of how to deal with stubborn people.
6 Life Lessons from the ‘Great Mother’
• A fairy tale about a grandma Black Widow spider that offers a psychological analysis of her from the perspective of the “Great Mother”.
• Includes a discussion of leadership, organizations and gender dynamics, including the dangerous duality of attracting and repelling.
7 Lions Led by a Donkey
• A short conclusion that reminds the readers not only of the negative impact of incompetent, arrogant leadership, but also the value leadership in tough times.
• Discusses the need for moral leadership, courage in making the hard decisions, and creating a legacy for future generations.
