Abstract
This study was conducted with a phenomenological research methodology to gather learnings around the lived experience of adult professionals exposed to the dynamics of narcissistic abuse in the workplace. Six participants provided their narrated stories using an online survey composed with qualitative questions as well as virtual interviews. Their stories were focused on workplace experiences significantly relatable to the key characteristics of narcissistic abuse, for which participants were provided referential frameworks to guide their selective testimony to be included in this body of work.
Participants described instances when they had to cope with toxic organizational environments driven by dynamics typical of narcissism, either from their direct managers as well as those embedded in the cultural fabric of routines and team interactions. The participants came into these experiences with a foundational knowledge of narcissistic abuse previously learned, which helped them in making decisions for how to navigate the situations on the job and ultimately prioritize their well-being.
The participants’ stories were analyzed to find themes that could serve as baseline evidence of the existence of narcissistic abuse in the workplace such as ideological indications, structural conduits, and dissemination practices that can perpetuate the abuse and allow it to exist covertly and socially accepted in the organization.