Narcissists, Bullies, & Other Minions You’ll Find at Work

When most people show up to work today, they will find desks, computers, printers, coffee makers, and donuts (hopefully). But that’s not all. They will likely also find people. Some of these folks are fun, hard-working, ethical, and life-giving. But there are also a few that may be annoying, draining, or, in the worst case, toxic. These toxic people seldom know it and actually see themselves as positive contributors to the team. I like to call them minions, since they work to disrupt the culture whether they are aware of it or not.

These minions can include narcissists and bullies among others. Some of them use intimidation. Others can be disruptive and untrustworthy. At their worst, all of them work to drain the soul out of a team and even cause great team members to look for another job. Here are the top 6 types to watch out for and a few suggestions for working with (and around) them.

Minion #1: The Narcissist

It is common these days to hear everyone labeling someone a “narcissist.” So, what does an everyday narcissist look like? Most commonly, they are people who have an extraordinarily high view of themselves and an exaggerated view of their uniqueness and strengths which results in extreme self-centeredness. Some of the common signs of narcissistic leaders include a sense of entitlement, blaming others for failure, depending upon rhetorical skills to cover problems, and, above all, transferring focus to themselves.

Minion #2: The Bully

Most people have worked with a bully at some point. They commonly use their position, power, threat, unwelcome teasing, embarrassment, or other means of intimidation to get what they want. Think Joe Pesci’s character Tommy DeVito in Good Fellows or Meryl Streep’s character Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada! In the long run, cruel people often end up destroying themselves (Proverbs 11:17). Bullies are not only in the school hallway or playground, but plenty of them show up at work too.

Minion #3:  The Angry

Travis Kelce is known for more than being a world-class football player and present boyfriend of Taylor Swift, he is also currently known as a person who sometimes can’t control his anger. We are human and therefore all of us have moments where we wish we had managed our emotions better. But when a leader or coworker has a pattern of yelling, slamming doors, and throwing things, you know you have a minion in your midst.

Minion #4: The Melodramatic

I recently heard someone describe a coworker as “very dramatic.” This has become a commonly used term to describe people who love to be the center of attention and have a great need for attention. Those looking from the outside see someone who is known to exaggerate their expressions and draw attention to themselves. Sometimes humorous and often annoying, the melodramatic minion can be a serious drain on team unity and morale.

Minion #5: The Control Freak

Feeling micromanaged? Always have someone looking over your shoulder and second-guessing your work? Unless you are incompetent and giving them good reason, you are likely working with or for a control freak. Control can be the outgrowth of fear, narcissism, or perfectionism. Regardless of the cause, the control freak can cause demoralization and irritation by not trusting the skills and judgments of others. Control freaks will seldom attract or retain highly talented people and catalysts because such people would feel smothered and parented.

Minion #6: The Gossip

Gossip is as common at work as coffee is. In one study by the University of California–Riverside, researchers found that people talked about others who were not present on average 52 minutes each day, but only 15% of that time was negative in nature. Malignant gossip is that which is harmful to the reputation or relationships of others. This minion is notorious for spreading false information, violating confidentiality, stirring up conflict, and tearing other people down. And their bad behavior can destroy team culture.

So what should you do when working with a narcissist, bully, or one of the other minions?

1. First, be realistic. Our culture has increasingly become more easily offended and a bit hyper-sensitive. No workplace is perfect. If you expect to find a place with none of these workplace annoyances, you may be looking for a long time.

2. Second, while each of these types of team members or managers can be frustrating, don’t start throwing around the term “toxic” prematurely. A sprained ankle is annoying, but it is seldom toxic. Sometimes we need to accept some level of annoyance in life.

3. Third, if a person is crossing the line from annoying to toxic or damaging, try and set boundaries. Boundaries may include letting someone know you will not accept that behavior or even avoiding the person to the level that you can do so.

4. Fourth, if you are a manager and have a minion on your team, do not ignore it. Consider using a 360-feedback source to help the person see themselves the way others see them. If the person is salvageable, provide them with coaching to change how they operate.

5. Fifth, if you are a team member without the authority to correct the problem and have tried everything else possible yet you feel the environment is either unsafe or sucking the life out of you, it may be time to make a change to a new job. But remember, minions can be hiding anywhere, so don’t assume they will not be at the new job too.

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Jay Desko is the President & CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.