Is my boss a narcissist? (Quiz)

A short quiz to find out the level of narcissism in your boss

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Narcissism in the workplace

One of the defining characteristics of narcissism is being preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited power and success. Another is constantly seeking admiration and praise. Combining those two will give you a person who will strive for success and status. Narcissists, therefore, have a stronger drive to succeed than the average person. It shouldn’t be surprising that many of the top bosses and leaders in organizations are narcissistic.

There’s also a dark side to the narcissistic boss’s narcissism. While potential employees may get attracted to a narcissistic leader’s outward charm and glorious vision, they soon realize that the latter is egocentric. Narcissists lack genuine care and empathy for others, which can do significant damage to workplace relationships.1Lubit, R. (2002). The long-term organizational impact of destructively narcissistic managers. Academy of management perspectives16(1), 127-138.

Narcissistic bosses also tend to react negatively to criticism and feedback. They believe they can’t make any mistakes. This attitude stifles their growth and the growth of the organization and, ironically, impedes their progress on the one thing they care about—unlimited success. 

Lack of integrity

Narcissistic leaders, despite being charismatic, lack communal values like cooperativeness and integrity.2Choi, Y., & Phan, W. M. J. (2021). Narcissistic leaders: The good, the bad, and recommendations. Organ. Dyn, 100868. They lack a win-win mindset. They have a win-lose mindset where they are willing to partake in unethical practices and exploitation of others for personal gain.3O’Reilly III, C. A., Chatman, J. A., & Doerr, B. (2021). When “me” trumps “we”: Narcissistic leaders and the cultures they create. Academy of Management Discoveries7(3), 419-450.

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