How do you create a safe environment for your team members to flourish?

There are several things you could do, but today I'd like to shine a light on what you 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗗 instead.

For the well-being of your team, it is crucial to avoid employing narcissists in leadership positions – the negative impact of their disturbed personality traits on the team members' professional and personal life 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲s. 😱

Unfortunately (and not by coincidence), narcissists are frequently found at the top of corporations, especially in finance, banking, and law. This can be avoided by paying extra attention during the interview process.

How to 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗮 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁 during an interview: 👀

👉 Inquire about their 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗵𝘀, and pay attention to their explanation of responsibility and blame (they cannot recognise their own failures and cannot let others shine).

👉 Request that they 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 (which they resist with all their strength as they perceive it as a personal threat to their house of cards, in fact  they rarely change their mind about something).

👉 Pay attention to any patterns in 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 (they rarely have good words for others as they cannot share the limelight).

To succeed at this, you must hone your "𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀" (that is using your intuition, noticing the fluctuation of energy - yours and theirs, listening for words but also for silence) and be present; narcissists are masters at deceiving people by being charming and likeable (a trait all of them share). 

👈On the other hand, remember that narcissists 𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡'𝗧 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 but simply people with (often) hidden traumas 😞 and their impossibility to feel other people's emotions it's not their fault. They shouldn't be demonised, but they mustn't be given the power to make other team members feel unsafe at work. 🙏