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Advance from a narcissistic boss

Helen
3 min readAug 24, 2024

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Having a narcissistic boss can be a challenging situation for employees to navigate in the workplace. A boss who exhibits narcissistic traits can be manipulative, self-centered, and overly critical, creating a toxic work environment that can impact employees’ mental and emotional well-being. However, with the right strategies and skills, employees can learn to advance from a narcissistic boss and thrive in their professional lives.

In order to understand the dynamics of dealing with a narcissistic boss, it is important to explore the historical context of narcissism in the workplace. Narcissism, as a personality trait, has long been recognized as a characteristic that can influence leadership styles and organizational dynamics. In the field of psychology, narcissism is defined as a pattern of traits and behaviors characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a constant need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others.

Key figures in the study of narcissism include Sigmund Freud, who first introduced the concept of narcissism in his work on psychoanalysis, and more recently, researchers like Robert Hogan and Thomas Chamorro-Premuzic, who have studied the impact of narcissism on leadership effectiveness and organizational outcomes. These scholars have highlighted the negative effects of narcissistic leadership on employee engagement, job satisfaction, and overall organizational performance…

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Helen
Helen

Written by Helen

I’m a board member for the Harvard Creative Writing Collective and an outreach associate director for Harvard Women in Computer Science.

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