Spark Empathy

Some people have challenging personality traits that can be managed with care, but a toxic combination of traits like narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy can seriously damage team dynamics and projects.

Narcissism: Narcissism comes from the Greek myth of Narcissus, a hunter who became infatuated with his own reflection, leading to his downfall. People with narcissistic traits are self-centered, boastful, arrogant, lack empathy, and are highly sensitive to criticism.

Machiavellianism: The term originates from Niccolo Machiavelli, an influential Italian figure in the 16th century. His book “The Prince” stirred controversy due to its perceived support of cunning and deceit in politics. Machiavellianism encompasses traits such as duplicity, manipulation, self-interest, and a lack of both emotion and morality.

Psychopathy: Personality traits associated with psychopathy include a complete lack of empathy or remorse, antisocial behavior, and being manipulative and volatile. It is important to note that there is a distinction between psychopathic traits and being a psychopath, with its commonly held association with criminal violence.

How to Manage People with Negative Traits

If you believe a member of your team is exhibiting these personality traits, it may be a complex issue with no easy answers. Experienced psychologists emphasize the subtleties and variations in personality types and associated behaviors. As a manager, addressing negative behaviors is necessary to maintain harmony and productivity within your team. A team member with these traits may be prone to anger and aggression, and it’s important to defuse such situations promptly. Some individuals may attempt to suppress their anger, leading to passive-aggressive behaviors like sulking or ignoring others.

There are a number of strategies you can use including distancing yourself emotionally from their behavior and empathizing with the employee by using active listening and questioning techniques rooted in conflict coaching.  

Sometimes anger can lead to bullying, which can manifest as verbal abuse, threats, unnecessary criticism, belittling, or spreading rumors. If bullying occurs in your team, it’s crucial to support the victim and address the bully’s behavior.

There are positive ways to influence people at work, such as using praise and encouragement. However, some individuals may resort to selfish manipulation, coercion, or deception to influence their co-workers.

Manipulative people are skilled at concealing their actions but display signs such as refusing to accept rejection, justifying hurtful behavior, and presenting different personas to fulfill their agendas.

If you challenge a manipulative person, be specific about what actions you have spotted and how they are harming the team. Make it clear that their behavior must change, and consider Performance Agreements to hold them accountable.

The selfishness of narcissists can disrupt team morale and harmony. Narcissists may not realize their impact, so it’s crucial to address the issue promptly. Their big egos lead them to seek the spotlight, demand credit, and dominate discussions. They don’t expect challenges, so it’s important to stand your ground with solid counter-arguments and encourage cooperation among colleagues.

It can be challenging to manage negative behaviors without confidence in dealing with conflict. However, there are ways to improve skills in this area. Learning to be more assertive and erecting strong boundaries, developing empathy through Emotional Intelligence, and increasing socio-emotional skills can help manage emotions and recognize others’ perspectives, ultimately aiding in identifying patterns of unwanted behavior before they become a threat to the team.