Detecting Narcissism at Work: How Assessments Reveal Hidden Traits

Why Narcissism Is Hard to Spot at Work

Narcissists often appear confident, ambitious, and inspiring—qualities that look like leadership potential. Yet beneath the surface lies manipulation, lack of empathy, and excessive self-focus. These traits can damage teams if left unchecked.

Limits of Clinical Tests

Clinical measures of narcissism are accurate but not suited for workplace assessments. Candidates reject questions that feel irrelevant or invasive, leading to poor validity in recruitment or leadership evaluations.

Occupational Assessments That Work

Effective workplace diagnostics focus on professional behavior:

• Personality questionnaires → measure self-focus, empathy, dominance.
• Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs) → test responses to social conflict scenarios.
• 360° feedback → uncovers blind spots by gathering input from colleagues and employees.
• Combinations → e.g., Hogan or SHL personality inventories plus 360° feedback for a balanced view of self vs. others.

Typical Test Indicators

• Inflated self-confidence: endorsing extreme leadership claims.
• Low empathy scores in personality tools.
• High risk-taking without mitigation in simulations.
• Failure to recognize others in 360° feedback results.