Ok I admit it, I hired her. Yes during the interview and even orientation she kept talking about a period in her life when she cared for someone’s child with special needs. She lamented about how she cared more about the child than the parents, how he would only progress under her oversight and on and on. Yes I was a seasoned people manager but this one got past me. Her behavior was classic narcissism, an inability to allow others to be credited in an effort to draw maximum attention to self and ones accomplishments even when only perceived or rooted in delusion.
It was not very long before this behavior manifested itself in her work habits and interactions with coworkers. The matter escalated since she was also dishonest, not unusual with delusional people. Soon days off for assisting with mom’s illness were reported which were no more than to camouflage an excuse to be away from work. Conversation also lent itself to having to take care of her brother’s child, another ploy to gain sympathy and a wider pass when breaking rules. Again all a part of the delusion.
None of us likes the idea of being judgmental or overly critical. However, when assessing to what extent a potential employee might damage your business operations or reputation there is a need for us to be on the alert. Living in a bubble of paranoia does not help the peace of mind of any of us, but there is no crime in asking the right, pre-prepared questions and listening to the responses with a view to assessing this person’s approach to life, work and relationships in general.
We might be void of ‘best practices’ if we do otherwise.
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