‘Good guys’ who pose a threat

Traditional narcissists are people who, to the annoyance and disadvantage of those around them, believe they are the center of the universe.

Narcissists can be harmful to employers: They use coworkers to get what they want, make hasty decisions that don’t take into account the opinions of others, and may be solely focused on elevating themselves above their coworkers. Their dismissal for others is one reason they can ascend the professional bureaucracy so rapidly.

However, covert narcissists—also known as “vulnerable” narcissists—are a little bit different. They have that equivalent center need to take care of their own self image no matter what, yet they can be more delicate in their techniques. Covert narcissists are “not comfortable presenting in that larger-than-life way,” according to Julie L. Hall, author of The Narcissist in Your Life, who has written specifically about covert narcissism. Overt narcissists may care less about rocking the boat to demand the attention they crave.