If Your Coworker Says Any Of These 9 Things, They May Be a Narcissist
You’ve probably worked with a narcissist. You know, that person who believes that they can do no wrong, and every mistake is the result of somebody else.
You know these people. In fact, you are probably thinking of someone specific right now.
Narcissists believe that they are always right, but will often appear to be charming, at least at first. But, their true nature always comes out, and they become pretty easy to spot. Don’t get caught in their crosshairs at work, even if you otherwise get along with them.
Here are 9 things that narcissist coworkers love to say.
1. “This wasn’t my fault."
To a narcissist, nothing is their fault. When things go wrong, their first instinct is to blame someone else. If they forget something, then it’s someone else’s fault for not reminding them. If they do something wrong, then the instructions were not clear enough.
2. “I do most of the work, here."
Narcissists want credit for their work and will find a way to make sure it happens. Then again, we all want credit for the work we do. But, narcissists take it a step further. They will often take credit for work they didn’t do and go out of their way to make sure someone else doesn’t get too much credit, at least in their eyes.
3. “Just kidding!”
Telling off-color or condescending jokes that are followed by “just kidding!” is their way of stating their opinion and passing it off as a joke so they don’t get into trouble. After all, anyone who would take a joke seriously is just being “overly-sensitive”.
4. “You’re just not understanding."
Narcissists never acknowledge that their ideas might be bad, confusing, or inappropriate. To them, other people don’t understand their wisdom.
5. “I taught you everything you know."
Most narcissists have an overly-inflated view of their contributions to other people and their employer. They believe that their coworker’s successes are a result of their influence and mentorship in the office.
6. “I am sorry you feel that way."
Non-apologies are a narcissist’s way of passing the blame onto the other person. Remember, a narcissist is never wrong. If you disagree with them or get offended by something they said, it’s your fault, not their’s.
7. “I basically carry this place."
Arrogance is a great synonym for common narcissists. To them, they are always the best and most productive person on the team and believe the organization would not be as successful if they did not work there. Naturally, this perspective applies to every employer that they work for.
8. “They were just scared of my talent."
After being fired or laid off, they will make an excuse for why it wasn’t their fault. They were “too good”, or their talent “threatened their boss”.
9. “I’ve been passed over for promotions because I do my job too well."
Rationalizations are common with narcissists because they can do no wrong. If they weren’t promoted, it’s because the organization cannot afford to move them out of their current position.
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