Dealing with a way-too-self-confident and manipulative narcissist in your workplace? The workplace is an environment of harmony and respect, but a narcissistic person makes the whole atmosphere unpleasant. They bring very obnoxious and awkward work environments and always seek other people’s validation.
Having such people around has a negative impact on your professional and personal life. It is not easy to avoid them at all times, but learning and being aware of how to handle such people can promote a healthy working environment.
In this article, we’ll explore how such narcissistic people can impact individuals and ways to handle them using psychological and legal tactics.
Understanding Narcissism in the Workplace
Narcissism is a common mental illness (NPD) that appears on a spectrum. What this means is that narcissists will exhibit a range of behaviors of manipulation tactics. Narcissist in the workplace are of the following types—
- Overt Narcissist: Overt narcissists are controlling and dominant. They believe they are better than others and must be approved and validated by others.
- Covert Narcissist: They try to be “nice”—will manipulate passively-aggressively. They appear to undermine others indirectly or backhandedly for their own benefit.
- Grandiose Narcissist: These individuals have super high self-esteem; they show zero empathy towards others by boasting of all their achievements just to feed self-doubt. They never show consideration for others by failing to acknowledge other people’s efforts.
- Antagonistic Narcissist: Usually the abusive work supervisor with a volatile behavior. They try to micromanage, like play the authority card, and take credit for someone else’s ideas.
Psychological and Professional Impacts of Narcissism
Having a co-worker at the workplace who is a narcissist has a profound psychological effect on your life as an individual and your work at the workplace.
1. Psychological Impacts
The put-downs and the aggressiveness of narcissists will make you feel subservient to them and have high levels of anxiety and stress. Narcissists love to belittle individuals, bringing out and emphasizing their achievements in front of them. This lowers the confidence level of a person and introduces self-doubt.
2. Professional Impacts
The psychological effect is also experienced at the workplace. Narcissist co-workers steal other people’s credit, undermining their work. This impacts the individual’s performance at the workplace and, eventually, their career.
Also, often, narcissists spread false accusations and rumors about people who they view as threats at the workplace. This destroys the person’s reputation, in most cases forcing the person to quit their job.
Psychological Techniques to Manage Narcissist in the Workplace
Dealing with narcissist in the workplace requires psychological strategies and a bit of professionalism. Such techniques are—
➤ Setting Your Boundaries
Start by defining the narcissistic act of the individual and then defining your boundaries and limits. Be confident and firm in communication by telling them what you will tolerate and what you will not.
➤ Limiting Interactions
Narcissists like to control every situation, so clearly inform them you are not going to be controlled by any such attitude. Don’t engage in unwanted drama and fights. Don’t emotionally invest in their manipulation games and be strong on your personality. Being professional in such a situation can discourage them from further manipulation.
➤ Seeking Emotional Support
Taking mental advice from other peers and acquaintances will help you cope with the situation effectively. Exercise, meditation, or therapy are some of the things that will distract your mind from such negative thoughts.
Legal Approaches to Dealing with Narcissist in the Workplace
If psychological strategies alone fail to mitigate the impact of a narcissist in the workplace, legal action becomes necessary. The principal legal approaches are—
i) Defining Harassment and Setting Your Bound
If the narcissistic behavior crosses the line from manipulation or gaslighting into outright aggressive acts, mental or verbal abuse, or intimidation, it could be a legal problem and should be treated as one.
ii) Documentation and Evidence Collection
Maintain records of all the interactions between you and the narcissist, including keeping records of conversations, messages, or emails, as these can be used as evidence and strengthen the foundation of the case.
iii) Filling Complaints
Report complaints of narcissistic abuse to the HR of your company with clear evidence and documentation of their offensive behavior. However, if for any reason the HR fails to act and protect you from such a situation, consider taking the matter to legal authorities.
iv) Seek Legal Representation
In extreme cases, when narcissism leads to legal concerns and involves legal authorities, it may become necessary to hire a professional lawyer who can help protect your rights and provide necessary legal support.
A qualified attorney familiar with narcissistic traits and behavior will be able to review your case, look into the policies of your workplace, and determine where action is needed. An attorney can also help you gather and present evidence, such as documentation of abuse, emails, or witness statements, to use in a sound case.
Explore how to deal with a narcissist in a legal context through Judge Anthony’s resources.
Mitigating workplace narcissism requires a blend of psychological resistance and legal knowledge. Knowing the various types of narcissistic personalities, the recognition of their influence, and using strategic coping skills can resist their influence. When psychological remedies do not work, there must be legal interventions in the form of documentation, reporting to HR, and seeking legal advice. In the end, whether you decide to cope with the situation or find a better working environment, learning and doing are the best ways of protecting your career and your well-being.
