Do narcissists pose a security risk to companies? Three simple steps can turn a narcissist from a security foe into a security champion.
We’ve all had narcissistic bosses or worked in organizations where narcissism is ramped. What impact does a narcissist have on cyber security? Narcissist behavior goes beyond cyber-bullying. It can and does posing a security risk to a company and it’s important for cyber security professionals to develop strategies in working with all personality types, especially narcissists. It’s more important to be secure than to be right.
In the age of entitlement a narcissistic employee, engineer, or developer will go out of their way to circumvent security and a narcissistic boss of senior executive will dismiss the need for basic security. Securing these environments can be challenging but not impossible. Three simple steps can turn foe into advocate.
First, it is important for security practitioners to gather the facts and present the data to the narcissist on exactly how their risky behavior is putting their personal reputation and the company at risk. A narcissist never wants to look bad and makes them feel important if they feel like their mistake could ruin an entire company.
Next, solicit their feedback on what they think the best way to approach the problem would be, now that they have a better understanding of the impact of their risky behavior. This gives the narcissist the feeling anything done is their idea. Confident Security professionals are comfortable letting the narcissist feel stronger security was narcissist’s idea as long as it better secures the company.
Finally, solicit their support on leading the change within their peer group. This gives the narcissist the feeling they have the spotlight and feeds into their need for power and control.
The attached article also talks about other characteristics and strategies in working with a narcissist.
