Listed below are five ways a mentor can help narcissists understand and change their behavior to become a better employee and person.
1. Have empathy and try to understand the insecurities that may be at the root of your mentee’s narcissism.
2. Begin by mirroring their behavior and affirming the self-important ideas they demonstrate. Reflect plenty of praise instead of immediately trying to put them in their place so they grow comfortable instead of defensive.
3. Start probing with Socratic questions. If your mentee complains about the way people treat them, respond with something like, “Why do you think people treat you like that?” Gentle but persistent lines of questioning will eventually bring you to the issues you want to address without coming off as confrontational.
4. Lead with how you feel when feeling conflicted. Moving the conversation away from blame and focusing on the effects of your mentee’s actions will get to the heart of the problem.
5. Take care of yourself, as mentoring a narcissist can be emotionally exhausting. Set limits on the frequency of your meetings to avoid burnout and maintain emotional stability.
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