Narcissists Make The Workplace Toxic And Barren

A work environment full of excitement, anxiety, and criticism, and with low productivity, is not a good place to work. Workplace narcissists impair initiative and even basic activities. They always need to be the center of attention. Narcissists need praise and their strategy to get it is quite destructive. They sabotage the rights and well-being of their co-workers.

Experts in personality psychology argue that we are all sometimes narcissistic. But when we encounter narcissistic people in our work environments, things can get really complicated a lot.

Our work day takes up much of our time. In addition to this, we are financially dependent on our own work and we have professional goals in our own field or position. Working with harmful and toxic people makes it difficult for us to work and fulfill our purpose. 

It’s not easy to deal with narcissists every day. Their behavior is often as irrational as it is exhausting. If we don’t have strategies to defend ourselves, they may affect the quality of our lives. 

Although many studies show that narcissism has declined in recent years, it is still necessary to know how to deal with narcissists for our own well-being and professional lives. Let’s look at some strategies that will help us live with them.

How can we identify workplace narcissists

Workplace narcissists have a lot of names. They are social climbers, opportunists, gossipers and selfish people who don’t know how to act in a group. They make decisions without first asking others. In short, they are the ones who create repressive and barren work environments. Narcissists kill the motivation, initiative and desire of their colleagues to go to work in the mornings.

We need to clarify one thing about narcissism. There are people who may have one or two narcissistic traits. Only a small percentage of people suffer from narcissistic personality disorders. Thus, there is a scale to which most people fit in some way. Some people may tick all the paragraphs while others tick a paragraph or a couple. People who are mildly narcissistic may change their behavior when they receive feedback from loved ones.

Next, let’s look at the profile of classical narcissism, as such people can be really harmful to their co-workers and the company where they work.

• The narcissist always wants to be the center of attention.
• The narcissist thinks he has to get all the prizes.
• They lie to get what they want.
• Humiliating and embarrassing others is common to them.
• They never admit that someone else has done something well.
• Narcissists do not take responsibility for their own mistakes. They manipulate situations so that people take responsibility for their mistakes and their inability.
• Narcissists tend to be jealous.
• They put pressure on others to engage in unethical behavior.

Utrecht University psychologists Sander Thomaes and Bram Brushman have conducted a study that narcissists are always really charming at first. They may be nice, friendly co-workers or bosses who can be helpful. But over time, their intentions will become apparent.

How to survive workplace narcissists

The narcissists at work make us burn out and exhaust. They may affect our desire to advance on a professional level. Things get even more complicated if our boss or supervisor is narcissistic and not interested in our rights. In extreme situations, we recommend that you request a job evaluation or go to HR management. 

In everyday situations, understanding certain basic ideas can help us maintain our motivation and goals in the workplace.

Get to know them and understand their weaknesses

The first strategy is really simple. We need to avoid playing their game. We need to remember that they just want appreciation and recognition. We must not forget that their weak point is their self-esteem. To do this, we need to keep the following things in mind.

The narcissist always wants immediate attention. Getting attention feeds them. So we must not give this to them. They have to note that they are not important to us. Our own priorities are our own work and goals. If our boss is a narcissist, let’s avoid fulfilling his requests immediately. This is especially important if the demands he makes are not in the picture of our work and if he just wants to humiliate us.

Putting our needs first

Narcissists demand, humiliate, lie and think only of themselves. They can’t see their own noses beyond. When we encounter such behavior, let us remember our own needs and rights. If something is wrong, let’s say it. Let’s be confident and talk about their lack of empathy. They must not give up, and they must not fall into their traps.

Requests in writing

Workplace narcissists demand things only from others. Therefore, it would be best to request all of these claim in writing (such as memos or emails). In this way, we have evidence of such cases. We need to be able to show the details of certain requirements.

Let us not fall into their traps

Narcissists always want to know things from others so they can use this information to their advantage. Thus, they strive to reach out to us in order to create a sense of intimacy and gain knowledge. Let’s avoid talking about our personal lives and be careful not to share opinions and information with them. The narcissist may use this information against us.

Being aware of our own values ​​and rights

One of the most common problems with this personality is unethical behavior.  They violate other people’s rights. The downside to this is that they put pressure on people to take part in even illegal activities.

Therefore, it is critical to know the rights of the workplace. We should have good knowledge of labor law and company guidelines. Narcissistic bosses often know how to manipulate their employees to achieve illegal (or unethical) goals. Let’s avoid doing something we might regret later. We need to remind them of the limitations.

Workplace narcissists can be really problematic. Sometimes they take part in harassment or workplace bullying. Other employees often choose to leave their jobs to get rid of narcissistic co-workers. We know this is not easy, but let’s try to set boundaries. Let us not give in to such behavior.