An American study carried out in over 5000 offices has recently proven that the most hated office personas are the narcissists. Many of their character traits are simply unbearable to others. If you can't stand a certain coworker, don't rush to extreme measures. Perhaps their obnoxious way of acting is due to a personality disorder.
An interesting fact - nearly 84% of narcissists are men. As a whole, 8% of the world population suffers from narcissism. All right but what is narcissism exactly?
The truth is that not every egocentric person around you is a narcissist. By definition, persons with this psychological disorder suffer from delusions of grandeur, crave to be worshiped and lack empathy, with this symptoms first appearing at an early age. It's difficult to determine exactly but genetics, as well as one's upbringing, also likely play a role in the occurrence of this disorder.
Several traits make it possible to spot the typical narcissist. First off, people with this disorder have an overexaggerated feeling of self-worth. They regularly overestimate their abilities, while at the same time depreciating the contribution of others and can be shocked when they don't receive the praise they think they deserve.
Narcissists believe themselves to be special and unique and demand that others admire their persona. They are overly confident in themselves, although this is just a front. Their self esteem is delicate. Narcissists find it difficult to accept the fact that others don't think the way they do.
Additionally, narcissists often believe that the rules don't apply to them, that they can do whatever they like.
Another distinctive and annoying trait is their lack of empathy. They simply cannot empathize and understand the worries of others around them if these don't affect them.
Narcissists constantly compare themselves to others, especially highly successful individuals. If things don't work out right, they simply blame everyone else, not themselves.
Acting like arrogant snobs, while complaining about others' foolishness, is yet another highly irritating trait of persons with this psychological disorder. It is perhaps this trait that they primarily owe their notoriety to.
The narcissist's feeling that he's always right, combined with his lack of empathy, enables him to take advantage of others for his own benefit. This is one of the reasons why they can be horrible if you have to work with them. If you have a narcissistic boss he can use you up without providing you the due respect or compensation yo deserve.
How do we deal with the narcissist around us? It's best if you remain under their radar, especially if they are a higher up. Let them have the final say, even if you do what you feel to be right after that. If they don't think they have had the final say, the conversation will return into a battle. If your coworker is on the same level as you assert yourself and don't allow them to take credit for your work. If a member of your family has a narcissistic character, staying under the radar won't work. They will always try to take advantage of your money and services. Set clear-cut boundaries in order to avoid their manipulation.
