The Power of the Bright Side of Personality

The Dark Triad in psychology, a combination of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism, is the subject of both popular and academic fascination. There is something inherently intriguing about learning why people can be so bad and, worse, get away with that bad behavior. Although pathological in nature, the Dark Triad theoretically can help those with its qualities become highly successful, especially in areas of endeavor that require a fierce desire to get ahead at all costs.

As fascinating as the Dark Triad may be, however, is it possible that such intense focus on its qualities can lead both the public and researchers astray in understanding human nature? According to a new paper by Sweden’s University West psychologists Håkan Nilsson and Ali Kazemi (2023), Dark Triad traits can get you only so far in understanding why people get ahead.

If people who rise to the top do so on the backs of those whose lives they control, as in corporate leaders, the authors argue, they will eventually reach a point where their unethical behavior will completely backfire. Indeed, “lack of ethical mindfulness” can be the “root cause” of leadership crises on a global scale, affecting areas as diverse as climate change and political corruption (p. 68). To eradicate these crises will require a completely new model of leadership, one that looks at what's good instead of what's bad about personality. What's more, this understanding can potentially help individuals who aren't in the public eye lead happier lives.

The Bright Triad’s 3 Qualities

Nilsson and Kazemi look at leadership from what may seem like an odd perspective—namely, that it is fundamentally built on relationships. The leader is nothing, they observe, without people to lead. Think of your own leadership relationships, whether as the head of a volunteer committee or the supervisor of your employees. The Bright Triad's three qualities derive from this basic principle, as shown below:

1. Ethical Mindfulness. Defined as a mindset “free from the propensity to commit violence, ethical mindfulness translates into the behaviors of not lying, cheating, stealing, or harming others. As a broader personality quality, showing ethical mindfulness means that, in general, you stay away from gossip, treat people with respect, and try your best to adhere to the highest personal standards. In contrast to the Dark Triad qualities of always trying to figure out how to get away with things, or psychopathy, this component of the Bright Triad means that you nip any of those tendencies in the bud. Stop and think about the implications of what you’re doing, not just for other people but also for your own inner sense of decency.

2. Loving-Kindness. This second Bright Triad quality doesn’t mean that you have to love everyone, but that you show empathy. It is, as the authors point out, the very opposite of narcissism in which your first order of business is to attend to your own needs and happiness.

The Swedish authors suggest beginning by becoming more loving toward yourself and then moving on to think about people who’ve helped you, others to whom you have no particular obligation, and from there toward the toughest test of all—someone whom you dislike or who has been confrontational.

Perhaps someone in your volunteer group continuously finds a reason to question your authority and in general to thwart the group’s efforts. It would be natural enough to become infuriated by this person and just as natural to seek ways to shut them out. In the type of mental shift that would encourage loving-kindness, you would try to see things from their point of view, as annoying as this might be.

3. Compassion. A compassionate state of mind, according to the Swedish authors, is “an antidote to indifference (i.e., psychopathy), a distant and callous relationship to the Other” (p. 80). This Bright Triad trait means that you can understand the plight of others but, then, going beyond empathy, are willing to help them. Maybe that ornery person in your group had a bad day. Seeing things from their perspective allows you not just to put up with them but also to actually offer a helping hand.

Bright vs. Dark in Action

By now, you may be thinking that all of this is a pretty pie-in-the-sky kind of thinking as a model for getting ahead in the world or even in achieving your own personal goals of success and happiness. Indeed, in the words of the authors, “Immorality, selfishness, and indifference can…be seen to be central and decisive elements in leadership outcomes” (p. 83).

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Yet, what is a successful outcome? In the Bright Triad model, it’s not fortune or even fame, but overall well-being, both for yourself and others. This more “sustainable” goal means that you don’t need to put a dollar amount on your success but instead can benefit more from considering your overall purpose in life and your ability to fulfill your inner potential. In the process, you will also be making life a little better for those you have a relationship with, as a leader or otherwise.

Two other components of this process are worth mentioning beyond the Bright Triad itself. One is the use of mindfulness, referred to briefly above in terms of ethical mindfulness. Actively practicing these qualities by making yourself aware of your behavior can help you move further from the dark to the light in the continuum of relationship styles. As you do, you can “simply rest in the present moment, synchronized and attuned to life’s circumstances” (p. 79).

Next is cultivation, in which you not only behave in accordance with the basic qualities of the Bright Triad but also inspire and help foster the growth of these qualities in those with whom you interact. As you do, you set a good example while you also help them put down their guard. They will know you have their well-being in mind rather than your own personal gain.

To sum up, the Swedish paper represents an important contribution both to personality and to the larger conversation about how we all relate to each other. Although meant to address leadership with a capital “L,” the Bright Triad–mindfulness approach can also help you become a beacon for others in your daily exercise of leadership, relationships, and self-development.

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