Just because some people are narcissists doesn’t mean they’re unlovable. People high in narcissism may also be fun, charismatic, or good at what they do. Having them around gives you more pleasure than pain and, in the workplace, enhance your team’s success.
With these findings as background, let’s examine ways that you can manage your own emotions when you’re dealing with people high in narcissism:
- Determine which type you’re dealing with.
- Vulnerable narcissists don’t feel particularly good about themselves at heart. In contrast to grandiose narcissists, they’re less “out there” with their emotions, and so you might not realize when they’re undercutting you or getting in your way.
- Acknowledge your annoyance.
- recognizing where your frustration is coming from can help give you the strength you need to put a stop to it.
- Appreciate where the behavior comes from.
- Once you recognize that they are coming from a place of insecurity, you can provide them with just enough reassurance to get them to settle down and focus on what needs to be done.
- Evaluate the context
- Narcissism is not an all-or-nothing personality trait. Some situations may elicit a person’s insecurities more than others.
- Maintain a positive outlook
- Don’t look ruffled, even if you’re feeling annoyed, and eventually that behavior will diminish in frequency.
- Don’t let yourself get derailed
- Find the balance between moving ahead in the direction you want to pursue and alleviating the vulnerable narcissist’s anxieties and insecurities.
- Keep your sense of humor
- Without being cruel about it, you can point to the inappropriateness of the person’s egocentric behavior with a smile or joke.
- Recognize that the person may need help
- Because some narcissists truly have low self-esteem and profound feelings of inadequacy, it’s important to recognize when they can benefit from professional intervention.
The Princess Syndrome 