How To Deal With A Narcissist At Work

How To Deal With A Narcissist At Work Do you have a co-worker or boss who makes your life miserable at work?A person who dominates conversations, brags about accomplishments, and blames others for failures? A person who is charming, but doesnt do any work to get the credit they feel they deserve?A person who cant take constructive criticism and who instead resorts to angry outbursts and verbally abusive behavior.A person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder is often described as arrogant, self-centered, manipulative and demanding. And while you cant and shouldnt assume a diagnosis of a co-worker or your boss, if you work with someone with behauptung characteristics, you know it is incredibly difficult.If youre in this situation, it may seem like theres no way out that theres nothing you can do. The good news is there are ways to deal with a narcissist at work but it may require taking several deep breaths.Boost Their EgoUgh. I know. This is probably the last thing you want to do when this person is making your life miserable.But trust me flattery, positive language, and compliments go a long way. Narcissists are incredibly insecure and needy they crave constant reinforcement of their importance.This doesnt mean you have to lie. Dig deep and give a sincere compliment. Or it might help to think that youre giving the compliment to make life easier for you and not this person causing the Yet, this might not be realistic- especially in a work environment. If you feel comfortable and/or must give feedback, try using a compliment sandwich compliment- critique and alternative suggestion-compliment.For example I read your report and I really liked it and learned a lot. While funny, some of the language seemed a little harsh- you might try softening it a bit because I think fruchtwein people will get distracted and miss out on your expertise. I wouldnt want thatWhile this probably wont completely eliminate a negative response, it might mitigate it making life a littl e easier for you.Find an AllyDepending on your work situation, you most likely know other people who are working with this person too. Youre not alone in this.There will probably be days were you just cant find it in yourself to boost this persons ego so pass that task on to someone else.Work together to come up with ways to support each other- and your difficult co-worker. Having a ordnungsprinzip in place creates a predictable environment for you and your co-workers, thus alleviating stress and frustration- and balancing the power out a bit.Have an Outlet for Your FrustrationLets face it. Youre going to get frustrated- and most likely angry- having to deal with a narcissist on a day-to-day basis.I know for me, I get infuriated I have to do all this extra emotional work when the person Im accommodating does nothing. It just doesnt seem fair.And it isnt.For me, exercise really helps expend the negative energy that can build up when dealing with a difficult person. Sometimes its vent ing to a friend.No matter what, make sure youre taking care of yourself- whatever that means to you.--Jennifer Koza is a social worker who believes support and empowerment are key to life and has the data to back it up. By day, she is a research and evaluation analyst, committed to preventing violence against women and studying the value of work and workplaces. By night, she is a painter or at least she tries to be when shes not catching up on TV/movies (or re-watching The West Wing, Gilmore Girls or The Office).