EPISODE 3: ‘The Narcissistic colleague’
Sabotage, Competition and The Narcissistic Colleague
We’ve all heard about toxic managers. But what if the stress isn’t coming from your boss, it's from your peer?
In Episode 3 of Narcissism At Work, we explore how narcissistic behaviour shows up between colleagues. These aren’t always the loudest voices in the room. Sometimes, they’re the charming coworker who praises you publicly but undercuts you privately. They hide behind charisma, ambition, or a façade of vulnerability. And the damage they cause is just as devastating.
You start second-guessing yourself, the team loses trust, and creativity begins to dry up. Before long, you're not collaborating, you're barely surviving.
What can you expect in episode 03: ‘The narcissistic Colleague’?
🔪 Sabotage masked as support
From taking credit to exclusionary tactics, these behaviours chip away at trust and team cohesion.
🗣️ Backstabbing + smear campaigns
Malicious gossip, manipulation, and misinformation are used to isolate, discredit, and win favour with leadership.
🎭 Weaponised empathy
When personal stories are used not for connection, but to avoid accountability or gain emotional leverage.
⚠️ The breakdown of collaboration
Fear replaces safety. Colleagues stop sharing ideas, anxious they’ll be stolen or used against them.
💥 The mental health toll
Chronic self-doubt, second-guessing, emotional exhaustion, and burnout are common when you’re constantly being undermined.
🛡️ How to protect yourself
Clinical psychologist Dr. Daksha Hirani shares practical trauma-informed strategies, including effective documentation, boundary-setting, and Dr. Ramani’s DEEP method. She also unpacks how these behaviours are often rooted in deep insecurity, masked by a false sense of confidence, so that you can begin to identify patterns, disengage safely and rebuild your confidence.
Why it matters
We often discuss examples of toxic leadership, but peer-to-peer dynamics also significantly influence workplace culture. When narcissistic behaviour goes unchecked, it creates a culture of fear and isolation, one where victims are gaslit and perpetrators are rewarded for their ambition. By naming these patterns, we help create teams that are grounded in empathy, trust, and accountability.
Resources & Further Support
Listen to all episodes: otherbox.co/podcast
Learn more about narcissism, burnout, and protective tools in our Diversity Dictionary course: otherbox.co/education
Subscribe, share, and rate the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Acast or wherever you listen.
Whether you’re just starting to question a toxic dynamic or deep into your healing, we hope this podcast helps you name it, understand it, and start to heal from it. Because work should work for you.
———
Narcissism At Work podcast is out now and is available wherever you listen to your podcasts. Check out our resources page here for support. Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with Other Box.
