Most management theorists posit that people who are calm, confident and self controlled succeed in the workplace. Leadership books extoll the value of being rational and friendly at work, using self awareness to build on strengths and to remedy development needs.

However, anyone who works in any kind of real workplace knows that the calm, rational, and emotionally intelligent do not necessarily succeed or move up the ranks.

Perhaps some highly successful people actually leverage what might be considered personality flaws, like narcissism, obsessiveness or manic moods?