Narcissism at work: what a test reveals about leadership

The office is a stage where personalities show themselves unfiltered. Among them, some leaders display impressive confidence, a grandiose vision of themselves and a remarkably absent capacity for empathy. Are they simply ambitious? Or are they showing the traits of a pathological narcissism that undermines the whole team?

In the article that follows, I explore manipulation and coercive control in relationships. On this theme, I designed a test to assess whether you're in a manipulation situation to help you take stock of the control mechanisms at play around you, with a guide to go further. And if you have real messages to decode, ScanMyLove analyses your conversations with your partner from a simple export and reveals the true dynamic of the relationship.

Narcissism at work is not a mere character flaw. It is a psychological pattern that shapes the way a person leads, communicates and treats colleagues. Understanding what a test reveals about this leadership style makes it possible not only to identify it, but also to protect yourself from it — or to correct it if you recognise it in yourself.

What is narcissism at work?

Professional narcissism shows up as a constant need for validation, an absence of empathy towards colleagues, and a tendency to claim successes while shifting responsibility for failures. Unlike healthy self-confidence, narcissism rests on a hidden emotional fragility: the narcissistic leader must constantly prove their superiority in order to maintain their image.

Research in organisational psychology, notably work on the DISC profile and the dark personality traits, shows that narcissism at work can take several forms:

• Grandiose narcissism: the leader who dominates meetings, talks about themselves endlessly, and believes they are indispensable.
• Vulnerable narcissism: more discreet, this leader reacts violently to criticism and creates a climate of constant tension.
• Adaptive narcissism: the one who uses these traits to motivate, but without any genuine connection with their teams.

The tell-tale signs of narcissistic leadership

1. Claiming the successes

A narcissistic leader celebrates every victory as their own. After a successful client meeting, it was "my strategy that worked". The work of colleagues becomes invisible.

2. The absence of empathy

They never ask about your well-being, your mental load or your personal difficulties. The relationship stays transactional: you are a resource, not a person.

3. Disproportionate reactions to criticism

Mention a flaw in a project and you will see either an emotional explosion or an icy silence. The cognitive distortions that these leaders develop prevent them from seeing feedback as constructive.

4. Manipulating information

They create factions, share information selectively and play colleagues off against one another to reinforce their control.

5. Demanding unconditional loyalty

Questions, independent initiatives or divergent ideas are experienced as betrayals. As in the 12 ways your colleagues manipulate you at work, the narcissistic leader creates an environment where compliance is the only safe path.

What a narcissistic personality test reveals

A test of narcissism at work assesses several dimensions:

Self-admiration: to what extent does the person constantly seek validation and admiration? A leader who needs every decision to be praised will score high. Entitlement: do they believe they deserve special privileges? Do the rules apply to them? The narcissistic personality test measures this conviction of standing above the norms. Affective empathy: can they truly feel what their colleagues are going through? Or are they performing it, for appearances' sake? Vulnerability to criticism: how do they react to negative feedback? With curiosity, or with rage?

A high narcissism score predicts several organisational problems: high turnover, a toxic climate, loss of team creativity, and a risk of burnout among more sensitive colleagues.

The concrete impact on the team

A narcissistic leader creates an environment ruled by fear and invisibility. Colleagues develop survival strategies: they keep quiet, they comply, and they gradually lose their motivation. Some develop an emotional dependency on this leader, desperately seeking their approval.

Studies also show that teams under narcissistic leadership are less innovative. Why? Because innovation requires risk-taking, constructive mistakes and autonomy — everything a narcissistic leader refuses to grant others.

Telling narcissism apart from healthy confidence

A word of caution: do not confuse an ambitious leader with a pathological narcissist. Here are the key differences:

What to do if you recognise these traits in your boss

First step: document. Keep a record (emails, messages) of the problematic behaviours. This protects you legally and helps you see the patterns clearly. Second step: set boundaries. You cannot change your boss, but you can limit the emotional impact. Do not seek their personal approval — focus on measurable results. Third step: find support. Talk to trusted colleagues, or consider therapy to work through the wounds this type of relationship creates. Young's early schemas, which we often develop in reaction to a narcissistic leader, can persist long afterwards. Fourth step: consider a change. If the environment becomes toxic, your well-being comes first. Changing team or company is not a defeat — it is a form of resilience.

And what if you are the one showing these traits?

Awareness is the first step. If a narcissistic personality test gives you a high score, it does not mean you are a monster. It means you have probably been hurt, and that you have built psychological armour to protect yourself.

CBT therapy can help you to:

• Identify the origins of this need for validation


• Develop genuine self-esteem (not based on dominance)


• Cultivate authentic empathy


• Turn your leadership into something lasting and respected

The most effective leaders are not the ones who dominate. They are the ones who inspire. And inspiration comes from vulnerability, not from grandiosity.

Practical tools for assessing your environment

If you currently work with a potentially narcissistic leader, ask yourself these questions:

• Am I afraid of their reactions rather than respectful of them?
• Are my ideas listened to, or immediately criticised?
• Do I feel I have to "perform" in order to deserve their attention?
• Are mistakes treated as learning opportunities or as personal attacks?
• Is my personal well-being ever taken into account?

If you answer "yes" to three or more of these questions, you are probably in a toxic environment. Analyse your conversations with this person — you may well spot patterns of manipulation that you had normalised.

Towards authentic leadership

The narcissism-at-work test does not judge — it sheds light. It allows organisations to spot the leaders who destroy company culture, and individuals to protect themselves or to change.

A genuinely narcissistic leader will probably not change without professional intervention. But you can change your reaction, your boundaries and your choices. And that is real power.

To explore your own leadership style and relational patterns more deeply, visit psychologieetserenite.com or begin CBT therapy tailored to your professional context.

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Gildas Garrec, CBT psychotherapist in Nantes