OPTED Magazine

The Economic Times published an article explaining why a narcissistic boss can stifle both morale and productivity in the workplace.  The study included 1200 people, with the results showing the following:

31 per cent reported that their boss is prone to exaggerate his or her accomplishments to look good in front of others; 27 per cent reported that their boss brags to others to get praise.

25 per cent reported that their boss had an inflated view of himself or herself; 24 per cent reported that their boss was self-centred; and 20 per cent reported that their boss will do a favour only if guaranteed one in return.

“Having a narcissistic boss creates a toxic environment for virtually everyone who must come in contact with this individual,” Hochwarter said. “The team perspective ceases to exist, and the work environment becomes increasingly stressful. Productivity typically plummets as well.”

I can safely say that I have experienced working conditions such as these with both my superiors and my coworkers exhibiting these characteristics — and I agree with the conclusion that it creates a toxic environment that changes the dynamic of not only how employees interact, but also the quality of work in the office.

However, the article doesn’t go into much detail about precisely why these conditions impact productivity and does not do a good job explaining the cause and effect relationship between narcissistic behavior by one person and decreased productivity of another.  And I have drawn my own conclusions from the study about why the behavior of your boss may be impacting your productivity level at work.

Narcissicism undermines a team environment

Any organization, no matter how big or small, requires a team effort to succeed.   You’ve probably heard the mottos “it takes a village to raise a child” or “there is no “I” in TEAMWORK.”  While an organization may require a CEO or management structure to provide direction, the implementation of that vision and strategy is equally, if not more, important.

A boss who commands attention for their own accomplishments inherently shifts the focus away from the work of the team and creates a false perception that the success of an organization is based only on the management or leadership.  This dynamic belittles and diminishes the contributions of other employees and can generate resentment, reducing the commitment and drive to produce good work.

Credit where credit is due

Another factor in decreased productivity not explored by the Economic Times article is the boss who falls into the category of coworkers who take credit for work that is not theirs.  For example, if a non-profit organization produces a successful quarterly newsletter for its membership and the Director of Communications brags and claims credit for its success, that focus on themselves silences the many other voices of those who contributed (the writers, the designers, and the marketers to name a few).  What a way to feel underappreciated, when your boss takes the credit for your hard work, or at the very least, does not recognize your contribution!

The Economic Times article caught my eye because it mentions an important factor that relates to a theme on this blog: productivity.  Unfortunately, the analysis was lacking.

Have you faced difficult coworkers, either your boss or your peers, who hurt your productivity at work?  How did you deal with it?

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