Narcissism in the workplace creates a counterproductive environment that negatively affects both the mental and physical health of employees. When narcissistic attitudes, aggressive leadership, and threatening behavior from managers or coworkers take over, the workplace can quickly become toxic.
A collaborative work environment depends on a healthy balance of enjoyment, engagement, and positive organizational behavior. However, when narcissistic attitudes, aggressive leadership, and threatening behavior from managers or coworkers take hold, the workplace becomes toxic.
Narcissists thrive on power, control, and admiration, and the workplace can offer an ideal environment for them to assert dominance and manipulate others. In addition, organizational factors can contribute to the perpetuation of narcissistic behavior.
The presence of narcissistic traits in a work environment can therefore lead to dysfunction, further making it challenging to maintain a positive, collaborative space.
Key traits of a narcissistic individual include:
- An inflated sense of self-importance and seeking excessive admiration.
- Feeling entitled to special treatment and privileges.
- Expecting to be recognized as superior, even without accomplishments.
- Exaggerating achievements and talents.
- Preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, or ideal relationships.
- Believe only special people can understand them and look down on others.
- Demand special favors and expect others to cater to their needs.
- Exploit others to get what they want.
- Lack empathy for others’ feelings and needs.
- Envious of others and believe others envy them.
- Behave arrogantly and brag excessively.
- Insist on having the best of everything.
Narcissistic abuse in the workplace
Some examples of narcissistic abuse in the workplace include:
- Gaslighting: A manipulative tactic where the narcissist makes you doubt your own perceptions, feelings, or memories, often denying events or insisting you’re misremembering things, causing you to question your own judgment.
- Public humiliation: Narcissists may belittle, criticize, or mock you in front of coworkers to undermine your confidence and assert superiority.
- Sabotaging your work: A narcissistic coworker or boss might deliberately interfere with your projects, setting you up for failure and then blaming you for the poor outcome.
- Excessive control: Narcissists often seek control, which can lead to micromanaging, taking credit for your work, or making decisions without consulting you.
- Isolation: They may try to isolate you by spreading rumors, creating alliances against you, or assigning you to work alone on projects, further alienating you from colleagues.
While narcissistic individuals are increasingly recognized in both psychology and HR circles, their behavioral effects in the workplace can be damaging. A narcissist in the workplace can affect morale and the productivity of the team and eventually lead to high turnover and employee burnout.
Furthermore, a lack of clear policies and procedures for addressing abusive behavior, a competitive work culture that rewards aggressive tactics, and an absence of empathy and emotional intelligence all create conditions that allow narcissism to flourish and affect the workplace.
Unfortunately, people who work with or interact with a narcissist often experience higher levels of stress. There are several reasons for this, but a key factor is the connection between narcissism and aggression. It is believed that aggression plays a role in intensifying the relationship between narcissism and counterproductive work behaviors.
What is Counterproductive Work Behavior?
One of the most notable workplace outcomes associated with narcissism is Counterproductive Work Behavior (CWB).
Counterproductive Work Behaviors (CWB) are behaviors by employees intended to harm their organization or organization members, such as theft, sabotage, interpersonal aggression, work slowdowns, wasting time and/or materials, and spreading rumors.
These behaviors have been studied under a variety of different terms such as antisocial workplace behavior, workplace aggression, and workplace deviance. This makes it a key indicator of narcissism in the work environment.
Understanding narcissistic supply in the workplace
Narcissistic supply is a concept from psychoanalytic theory, referring to the attention, admiration, and validation that narcissists crave to maintain their inflated self-image.
In a work environment, individuals who often seek attention and validation boast about their achievements, or disregard others’ ideas or opinions may be looking for narcissistic supply.
Other signs include a sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy, and a tendency to exploit or manipulate others for personal benefit. You might have unknowingly become a source of that supply as well.
Key steps to end narcissistic supply
If you’ve become a source of narcissistic supply in the workplace, it’s crucial to take steps to stop this in order to safeguard your mental well-being. Here are some strategies to help end narcissistic supply:
- Set boundaries: Clearly define boundaries and expectations with your boss or colleague to prevent manipulation or exploitation.
- Focus on facts: When interacting with a narcissist, stick to the facts and avoid emotional reactions.
- Avoid power struggles: Narcissists thrive on power conflicts, so avoid arguments or competition with them.
- Stay professional: Keep a professional attitude and don’t internalize the narcissist’s behavior.
- Seek support: Consider reaching out to colleagues, friends, or a mental health professional for support in managing the stress and emotional effects of working with a narcissist.
Dealing with narcissistic behaviors at work can feel isolating and overwhelming. Building a support system of trusted friends, family members, or coworkers is essential, as it provides much needed emotional support and validation during such challenging experiences.
