Dark side traits can be divided into three groups. The first group is the distancing traitsāobvious turnoffs that push leaders away from other people. Being highly excitable and moody has this effect, for instance; or having a deeply skeptical, cynical outlook, which makes it hard to build trust. Another example is leisurely passive-aggressivenessāpretending to have a relaxed, polite attitude while actually resisting cooperation or even engaging in backstabbing.
The second group of traits has, in contrast, seductive qualities; they are geared to draw people in. These traits are often found in assertive, charismatic leaders, who gather followers or gain influence with bosses through their ability to manage up. Narcissism and psychopathy are in this group.
The third group contains ingratiating traits, which can have a positive connotation in followers but rarely do in leaders. Someone who is diligent, for instance, may try to impress the boss with meticulous attention to detail, but this attention can also translate into preoccupation with petty matters or micromanagement of the personās own direct reports. Someone who is dutiful and eager to please those in authority can easily become too submissive.