I'm a professor of human behavior, and I have some news for you about the 'narcissists' in your life

In this article published on Business Insider, Melody Wilding challenges the common tendency to call difficult coworkers “narcissists,” clarifying that narcissism is a normal personality trait that everyone has to some degree. Wilding explains that moderate narcissism can actually be healthy, contributing to confidence, ambition, and resilience. Problems arise only when narcissism becomes extreme and pathological, at which point it may meet the clinical criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)—a rare, diagnosable mental illness that affects a small percentage of the population and impacts behavior across many areas of life, not just at work.

Wilding cautions that casually diagnosing bosses or colleagues with NPD is neither accurate nor ethical, as it stigmatizes mental illness and minimizes the seriousness of true personality disorders. She outlines how NPD differs from ordinary narcissistic traits, noting that true NPD involves persistent patterns such as lack of empathy, entitlement, manipulation, emotional volatility, and exploitation across personal and professional relationships. While individuals with NPD can be particularly damaging in workplaces—often gravitating toward power and engaging in unethical behavior—Wilding emphasizes that, regardless of whether someone has a disorder or simply elevated narcissistic traits, the focus should be on self-protection through boundaries, assertiveness, and emotional regulation, rather than armchair diagnosis (Business Insider).