Is your boss a narcissist?

A driven manager with a narcissistic personality disorder can leave a trail of destruction. Setting up clear boundaries can help you survive their reign if moving on is not an option

Pic: iStock

WE tend to promote narcissists to the top tiers of organisations; we elect them; we give them power because they present as efficient, efficacious go-getters who get the job done. And often they do – but will leave a trail of destruction, a high staff turnover, burnt-out colleagues, and bewildered minions. The bad news is they can pop up anywhere.

“My boss initially seemed inspirational, driven,” says Maire*, who worked in a small, people-centred organisation. “But I began to notice how she had to be in charge of everything all the time. She’d be quite unreasonable, expecting me to stay late as a matter of course, but wouldn’t be interested in discussing my progress. If I had an idea, she’d be dismissive but would later present it as her own. I thought I was imagining it at first, but I wasn’t. When I tried to talk to her about it, she became incredibly defensive. This went on for a while, and I felt constantly wrong-footed. In the end, I dreaded going into the office, so I resigned. She’s still there.”