We have all met them. They are everywhere. Whether it is your boss, your co-worker, your sibling or your acquaintance. Social media has made it even worse with all the selfies, tweets and attention people get. People are getting more narcissistic every day, and everything is about “me-me-me.”
But what to do with people, who think so highly of themselves. And all they think about are themselves. Here are five tips for dealing with these kinds of individuals:
1. Don’t
The easiest solution is to avoid this kind of people as much as possible. They will make your life harder, bring more drama and negativity to your life. They are only thinking about themselves, and you most probably will feel hurt and left out in the end.
Narcissist tends to use others for their good, which means they can act as your besties as long as it is useful for them. And when it suddenly stops being beneficial for them, they abandon you and move on.
Try to surround yourself with positive and like-minded people, because they will lift you up and not bring you down. Stay away from people, who don’t have your best intention in mind.
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2. Kiss Up or Shut Up
When you have to deal with a narcissistic person (for example, when he is your boss), try to keep your mouth shut and just smile. It does not help if you try to demand justice or try to put them in place because they cannot handle criticism.
You cannot change their mind or make them admit that they were mistaken, so the easiest solution is to agree with them (even if you don’t) and still find a way to get them out of your life for good.
Whatever they say or do, remember that it is not about you, it is about them. Don’t let their words nor actions get to you or affect you. Stay strong and find a way to avoid them for good.
3. Know What You Want and Get Paid Up Front
Narcissistic people are not fair. They want what’s best for them. So if you are working with them, know what you want exactly and make contracts for it. Then there is no way they can back out or not pay you in the end.
You have to be very careful when dealing with narcissistic people. They are very ambitious and go after what they want (which is not a bad thing), but they don’t care, who they hurt during that process (which is a bad thing). So one day you might be their buddy, but the next day they might backstab you.
4. Ask Them “What Would People Think?”
Narcissists don’t feel guilty because they do not have a conscience. But they do care about what others are thinking about them. Their image and reputation mean the world to them.
So if you want to change their mind (which is not easy), make them think how others would see their actions. This might be the only thing that gets through to them.
Find a solution, where you get what you want, but they stay in a good light as well. Then it is almost a win-win situation.
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5. Be Dexter
All of us have some narcissistic traits in us. It is human nature, that we think about our right and wants what’s best for us. The most important thing is not to forget other people as well.
If you don’t want to become a narcissistic person, do not lose your empathy. Think about what others are feeling, how they are seeing the situation and try to understand them as much as possible (even if you don’t agree with them).
A good role model is Dexter. Okay, he is a serial killer, but he tries to be good. He struggles with developing empathy, and he redirects his impulses to do things that benefit others. Try to do good for others as well (but do not kill them, okay).
IN CONCLUSION
Don’t. Avoid them as much as possible. Get them out of your life ASAP.
Kiss Up or Shut Up. If they are in a dominant position, it is no point to fight with them, just smile and nod.
Know What You Want and Get Paid Up Front. Don’t assume that they will play fair.
Ask “What Would People Think?”. Because they care about their reputation.
Be Dexter. Try to redirect your energy into helping others.
In the long run, narcissistic people always lose. But still, it is hard to interact with them. Try to stay active and don’t let them get to you. If you are the narcissistic one, try to work on your personality and consider others more.
