Signs Your Boss May Be a Narcissist

Research suggests that you’re more likely to find a narcissist in the corner office than just about anywhere else.

As psychoanalyst leadership expert Michael Maccoby has argued, that’s because narcissists often thrive in leadership roles, since ‘productive narcissists’ are super comfortable with risk and charming enough to get people’s backing for their ideas.

But the problem, of course, is that narcissists are typically looking out for themselves, ready to cut down anybody who challenges them, and like to take credit for other people’s work.

Here are signs you may be working for a narcissist:

They like to put people down.

Narcissistic people intentionally put down others to maintain a high positive image of themselves.

Needless to say, serious control issues and the need to build themselves up at the expense of others may not make for the ideal manager.

They really, really love being in control.

Narcissists typically enjoy leadership positions since they can dominate others and fulfil their need for constant positive reinforcement.

They are young and male.

After 34 653 face-to-face interviews, psychologist Frederick Stinson found that men tend to be more narcissistic than women across their life spans.

In addition, narcissism is believed to peak during adolescence and decline with age.

Instead of listening, they just wait to speak.

Anita Vangelisti, a psychologist at the University of Texas in Austin, says narcissists typically prefer to keep the conversation centred on themselves by “making exaggerated hand movements, talking loudly, and showing disinterest by ‘glazing over’ when others speak”.

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