Why Narcissists Can’t Handle Teamwork

The underlying traits that make collaboration nearly impossible for narcissists

Teamwork is the lifeblood of most professional environments, from production lines to creative agencies, tech start-ups, and global consulting firms. But when a team includes someone with narcissistic traits, collaboration can derail quickly. While narcissists may appear confident and competent, their behaviors often sabotage group dynamics, erode trust, and impede progress.

Let's examine why narcissists struggle with teamwork, using real-world examples from various industries, and offer strategies for leaders to manage these challenges.

1. Narcissists Have the Need to Control the Teamwork

General Concept:

Narcissists often need to dominate conversations and decision-making. This control isn’t rooted in competence but a deep fear of being irrelevant or outshined.

Example – Small Production Business:

In a custom furniture workshop, a narcissistic production manager constantly overrides team decisions, even when others propose more efficient methods. Despite lacking hands-on knowledge, they enforce outdated processes simply to assert authority, causing delays and frustration.

Example – Software Development:

In a development team using Agile methodology, a narcissistic team lead insists their design decisions are final, ignoring input during standups and steamrolling the backlog. Developers become disengaged, code quality suffers, and deadlines slip.

2. Lack of Empathy

General Concept:

Empathy is the cornerstone of collaboration. Narcissists’ inability to understand or validate others’ perspectives makes them poor teammates.

Example – Consulting Firm:

In a boutique consultancy, a narcissistic consultant ignores junior associates’ ideas during brainstorming, only to present those ideas to partners as their own later. This behavior creates mistrust and suppresses innovation.

Example – Marketing Agency:

A narcissistic creative director routinely dismisses copywriters’ and designers’ suggestions. They rarely acknowledge team contributions, leading to burnout and high turnover.

3. Fear of Exposure

General Concept:

Teamwork often requires vulnerability—admitting mistakes or asking for help. Narcissists fear exposure, which leads to defensiveness or blame-shifting.

Example – Medical Practice:

A narcissistic physician refuses to admit a diagnostic error during team rounds, instead blaming nurses for “poor communication.” This disrupts patient care and damages trust among staff.

Example – Engineering Team:

An engineer hides a miscalculation instead of reporting it, fearing their credibility will be questioned. The mistake surfaces later, jeopardizing the project’s success.

4. Inability to Handle Criticism

General Concept:

Constructive criticism is key to growth. Narcissists often perceive even gentle feedback as personal attacks, leading to retaliation or denial.

Example – Retail Operations:

A shift supervisor receives peer feedback to improve communication. Instead of accepting it, they accuse coworkers of jealousy, sowing discord among staff.

Example – Design Firm:

A senior designer reacts to client critiques by blaming account managers and insisting the client lacks taste, damaging team morale, and the agency’s reputation.

5. Sabotaging Others to Shine

General Concept:

When credit is shared, narcissists may feel threatened. They might undermine teammates or manipulate situations to appear as the standout contributor.

Example – Start-up Team:

A narcissistic co-founder withholds crucial product updates from the team, ensuring only they can “solve” the problem. They take credit for the solution in investor meetings, creating resentment.

Example – Legal Team:

An associate deletes team comments from a shared legal brief before sending it to senior partners. They present the ideas as their own, violating trust and undermining collaboration.

What Can Leadership Do About Narcissists (and Prima Donnas) in Teams?

Leaders often face a tricky balancing act when managing high-performing yet disruptive narcissists—or “prima donnas,” who share many narcissistic traits like entitlement, hypersensitivity to criticism, and inflated self-worth. While not all prima donnas are clinical narcissists, the overlap is significant enough to warrant similar strategies.

Here are key leadership actions:

1. Set Clear Boundaries and Expectations

Narcissists thrive in vague or inconsistent work cultures. Leaders must clearly define acceptable behaviors, communication standards, and team responsibilities. Enforcement should be fair and consistent. Evaluating employees' behavior and teamwork may make sense, not just outcomes.

2. Don’t Overvalue “Star Performers”

Organizations often tolerate challenging behavior from those perceived as irreplaceable. But when prima donnas or narcissists are allowed to act out unchecked, they demoralize others and create churn. One “star” should never cost a team its cohesion.

Example: A sales director may close big deals but destroy support team morale. Leadership must weigh long-term cultural health against short-term wins.

3. Address Feedback Resistance

Deliver constructive feedback privately, focusing on observable behaviors and impact rather than personal traits. Narcissists may deflect or deny, but consistent messaging can set limits over time. Consider using 360-degree evaluations to offer collective insight and reduce bias.

4. Model Empathy and Collaboration

Recognize acts of humility, collaboration, and active listening. When leadership publicly reinforces team-based achievements, it sets a tone that ego-driven behavior won’t be rewarded.

5. Know When to Let Go

If the narcissist or prima donna refuses to adapt and continues to hurt team dynamics, leaders may have to part ways. Preserving team morale and long-term culture is worth the discomfort of a tough decision.

Great teams run on trust. No one should be allowed to break that foundation, no matter how talented.

The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. We are not licensed clinicians, mental health professionals, lawyers, or legal advisors. For any concerns regarding mental health or personal situations, please seek advice from a qualified professional. For more details, please read our full disclaimer.