02 Nov Are you dealing with a Narcissist in the workplace? Here’s how to spot them

In most offices, there will a narcissist – probably in quite a high position.  They are not hard to spot but very hard to deal with on an ongoing basis.  In fact, narcissism is on the rise in the workplace. A narcissist is often rewarded and promoted as the qualities they exhibit are often mistaken, their confidence is interpreted as competence and their arrogance for achievement.

Here are some of the ways you can spot them:-

1. Conversation Monopoliser – They have an opinion on everything and are very loathe to listen to anyone else’s point of view. If they do, they will not be listening or paying any attention and will promptly turn the conversations back to their opinions.
2. Claim other people’s good ideas were theirs – they are notorious for pilfering colleagues’ ideas and hard work and stealing recognition outright. In a team situation, they will dominate but will also be quick to pick up on good ideas and turn them into their own.
3. They are experts at gaining promotions, their path to the top is often ruthless and they do not mind who they step over. They have no conscience or empathy.
4. Charmers – they know when to turn on the charm and manipulate their superiors in order to gain brownie points.
5. They do not like being questioned about their ideas or plans that they have implemented. This unsettles them as underneath their grand ideas and plans there is little substance.
6. Blaming others if things go wrong comes naturally to them.
7. They love to name drop and try and impress by claiming to know important people well when in reality they have never even met them.
8. They are natural rule breakers, even if they made the rules, in their minds rules do not apply to them.
9. They are naturally passive-aggressive in the workplace and will backstab at the first opportunity. If they feel someone in their team is a threat, they will quickly devise a way to remove them.  Remove being sacked, made redundant, or made to feel uncomfortable to make them resign.

So, dealing with a narcissist in the workplace,  particularly if you report to them, is a minefield.  However, there are effective techniques to enable you to cope with them and survive.  If you are dealing with a narcissist in the workplace and need help coping then contact me.

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