Our lab was informed this morning that we were expecting the new Dean of Pediatric Research to tour our lab at noon today. Obviously everyone cleaned their benches and generally tidied up a bit.

As the time got closer, my PI told the secretary to be sure to call him Dr. PI in front of the guest because the guest, also an MD PhD like my PI, had been calling him by his first name. He even wanted the secretary to join them for lunch so that she could keep calling him Dr. PI.

Is this normal? By my line of logic, the guest and my PI have the same degrees, so they don't need to address each other formally. Also, the guest is technically my PI's boss, so it shouldn't be an issue. Thought?

Yeah... that strikes me as odd.

Wow, that's crazy Nikki! Like "needs medication" crazy :P

Pretty sure he's on them already.

Yup, does he drive a sports car, that would be the second piece of evidence that he's overcompensating for wee willy winky?

Ugh.  One of those.  Does he make it a point to sit at the head (or close to) of the table at meetings or even staff meals?

Classic power mongering.  Making a point to sit at the head of the table is usually a sign of weakness, and you're trying to cover up for it by attempting to make yourself the most important person in the room.  It's why before meetings I place the "head" seat closest to the door.  When someone opens it, they completely miss the guy sitting at the head.  You're much more likely to notice the person in the back corner, furthest from the door first.  The guy may be important, but he doesn't understand internal politics very well, and needs to puff himself up as much as possible to make up for the lack of understanding.

Other signs are when he has "subordinates" flank him during introductions, or in "personal meetings," he arranges it so that he has either a big desk between you and him or (subtly) forces you to take a seat on a sofa/couch instead of an arm chair.

Dr. Horwitz?  Is that you?  You look much younger and your hair came back!