Search Results for: blog dealing with the office psychopath

The Office Bully: It Doesn’t Stop in the Classroom

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Although the term “bully” immediately sets off an image of a kid in the school playground holding court with his or her power, bullying actually continues well into life and surprisingly even exists in the nursing home environment. It seems, once a bully, always a bully. Although much is written on bullying in the playground, the office environment is a haven for bullies. As just as everyone knows in the playground who the bully is and who the victim or victims are and are afraid to speak out, this phenomenon also occurs in the office. Let’s look at the case … Continue reading →

Dealing with the Office Psychopath

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The corporate psychopath is fast becoming recognized as a toxic force in the workplace. Although psychologically they are classified under the category of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, these business bullies go by the common name of Corporate Psychopath. Let’s look at some examples. Charles is a typical corporate psychopath. He holds a senior position at a major university and displays all the hallmarks of the corporate narcissist. One of his PhD students discussed a new theory based on some of the data that she had been collecting over a period of months. Charles then later recanted her idea as his own, … Continue reading →

Is Your Boss a Psychopath?

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He or she might not actually murder you, but they will stab you in the back when you least expect it. Corporate psychopaths, as they are known in business circles, are on the increase, and although not technically psychopaths, are certainly responsible for extreme stress levels in the workplace. Perhaps you work for one. Although most of these people would be classified as suffering from Narcissistic Personality Disorder, the term “corporate psychopath” has caught on. As with any narcissist, the corporate psychopath can be charming and gregarious, but it’s all superficial and used to project an image. There is an … Continue reading →

Working With a Difficult Boss

While some people are lucky enough to be self-employed and be their own boss, most of us have to tolerate the emotional roller-coaster of the boss’ moods. This can take a toll on our personal happiness, even our mental health. Today, we will look at one particular example of the “power-mad boss”. One of the worse examples of the power-mad boss is the employee who is promoted up through the ranks and ends up being the manager of the people he or she once worked alongside. Take the case of Vicky. Vicky worked for seven years as a housecleaner with … Continue reading →

Why Did You Have a Baby?

Women have babies for lots of different reasons. Some women have wanted babies since they were quite young children themselves. Others have no interest at all in having children, but as time progresses they decide that they do want a child of their own. Some people deliberately choose to have a child and plan the birth accordingly. Others find themselves pregnant through a mistake or have a baby at a time that they haven’t quite planned. Some babies are wanted and others aren’t. I recently encountered a 39-year-old woman who told me the she was desperate to have a child. … Continue reading →

Should You Confront a Narcissist about their Narcissism?

This is a question I am often asked by clients who are dealing with a narcissist in their lives. The answer is: it depends. Should You Confront a Narcissist about their Narcissism? As a psychologist, I cannot tell a client what to do, they have to come to a decision about what to do about problems in their lives on their own and be comfortable with those decisions. But what I can do is point out the pros and cons of telling a person suffering from narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), and what effects that revelation can have on the client. … Continue reading →

When Your Child’s Grandparent is a Narcissist

We have looked at many articles concerning what it is like to be the child of a narcissistic parent (see below). But what happens when you, the child of a narcissist, go on to have children of your own? How does having children influence your relationship with your narcissistic parent? Having children of your own is probably the biggest wake-up call you will ever have in your life. This applies to members of most dysfunctional families, but children of a narcissistic parent are particularly susceptible to feelings of doubt and insecurity about their own skills as a parent. Not having … Continue reading →

How a Narcissist Thinks

People who live, work or interact socially with a person who suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder are often at a loss as to the way in which the latter’s mind works. They are more than selfish, they appear to have little or no social conscience, yet on the other hand can exude a sense of charm that other, more normal people, could never compete with. So just what makes these people tick? People suffering from personality disorders in general have not gone through the same maturation processes that more well-balanced people normally do throughout the course of their childhood and … Continue reading →

Defending Yourself against the Aging Narcissist (2)

In the first article in this series (see link below) we looked at the first two tips for dealing with a parent with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Today we continue with further aids for dealing with these damaging and difficult people. 3. Examine carefully all the achievements you have made in your life in spite of your background. Your achievements, your victories, your assets: you have attained all of them without the usual parental encouragement and assistance. In fact, you may well have been berated for your achievements or even hijacked temporarily by your parent in your journey to success. … Continue reading →