Here is an excerpt from an article written by Margaret Heffernan for CBS MoneyWatch, the CBS Interactive Business Network. To check out an abundance of valuable resources and obtain a free subscription to one or more of the website’s newsletters, please click here.

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(MoneyWatch) When Eric Schmidt decided that he knew better than the U.S. State Department and headed off to North Korea, it looked like a bold move.

When Mondelez CEO Irene Rosenfeld decided that, over the opposition from employees and many of her company’s board members, that she would acquire Cadbury, that looked bold, too.

When, after months of wrangling, the CEOs of Xstrata and Glencore finally agreed to merge their huge extraction companies, they looked big and tough and strong.

This is what we expect of leaders, isn’t it? Tough decisions in the face of market turmoil, economic confusion and slow growth.

But would you like to work for any of these people? In a fascinating study entitled “It’s All About Me: Narcissistic CEOs and Their Effects on Company Strategy and Performance,” academics Arjiit Chatterjee and Donald Hambrick assessed the fortunes of 111 CEOs in the computer and software industries.

Now, before we proceed let’s be clear on the basic personality traits that define narcissism:

1. A sense of entitlement: I’m special and should get special attention.
2. Attention: I like, even need, to be the center of attention.
3. Superiority: I am better or smarter than others.
4. Self-absorption: I spend a lot of time contemplating my extraordinary qualities.

Sound like anyone you work for?

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To read the complete article, please click here.

Margaret Heffernan has been CEO of five businesses in the United States and United Kingdom. A speaker and writer, her most recent book Willful Blindness was shortlisted for the Financial Times Best Business Book 2011. Visit her on www.MHeffernan.com. To check out all of her articles for CBS MoneyWatch, please click here.