The groundbreaking new book which exposes the psychology of destructive leadership and how to rise above it
‘Rare and necessary… essential reading for anyone who leads, or is led.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Jon Slade, CEO, Financial Times
‘Every boss, every board member and every employed person should read this.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Theo Paphitis, Dragon, Entrepreneur and Retail Champion
‘An essential guide to power, politics and personality at work.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Anna Jones, CEO, The Telegraph
‘Indispensable… I will be recommending it.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Prof. Andrew Stephen, Saïd Business School, Oxford
We are all, at times, awakened by the courage of another.
Great leadership expands us: possibility, conviction, a sense of what we might become.
But where there is light, there is also shadow.
Across boardrooms, staffrooms and communities, a corrosive style of leadership has taken hold, rooted in narcissism and Dark Triad traits, low in empathy, high in control and quietly destructive. It erodes confidence, silences dissent and leaves lasting harm.
‘Sly and Mighty’ names it, and shows you what to do next.
Drawing on an extraordinary triple perspective as a global board-level executive, leadership headhunter and acclaimed psychotherapist, Kathleen Saxton brings a uniquely full-spectrum lens to how toxic power operates, and why it is so often allowed.
Combining high-stakes case studies with the latest research on narcissism and workplace dynamics, this book helps you to:
🐊 Spot the warning signs early
🐊 Stop enabling what you know is wrong
🐊Decide how to challenge, navigate or leave
🐊 Reclaim your confidence and assert your agency
‘Sly and Mighty’ bears witness to recognition, resistance and recovery – because leadership should never diminish you, or anyone else.