Why Narcissistic Leaders Resist Remote Work — A Reflection from Running a Fully Remote Organization

A Wharton team has published evidence that the more narcissistic a leader is, the more they resist remote work. The reason isn't productivity or culture, but the loss of the power and status that in-person work supplies. From the seat of an executive and CTO running a fully remote organization, I reflect on this uncomfortable finding a step removed: auditing your own motives, the hidden costs of return-to-office mandates, and remote work as a governance mechanism.