Dealing with Toxic People in the Workplace: Strategies for Staying Sane and Professional

Working with a toxic person can be one of the most challenging aspects of professional life.

Jennifer McDougall
3 min readJun 18, 2024

When this person is narcissistic, constantly overshadows you, and negatively influences your career progression, it can feel overwhelming and demoralizing.

Here’s how to navigate a difficult situation and maintain your sanity and professionalism.

Dealing with Toxic People in the Workplace: Strategies for Staying Sane and Professional
Photo by Intricate Explorer on Unsplash

Recognize the Toxic Behavior

The first step in dealing with a toxic person is recognizing their behavior.

Narcissistic individuals often:

  • Brag excessively about their achievements.
  • One-up others in conversations.
  • Dismiss or undermine your contributions.
  • Seek constant validation while offering little support in return.

Understanding that this behavior stems from their insecurities and need for validation can help you depersonalize their actions.

Maintain Professionalism

Despite the challenges, it’s crucial to maintain your professionalism.

  • Stay Calm: Practice deep…

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Jennifer McDougall

Wellness & self-improvement advocate. Tune into my podcast LIFE REFINED & shop top-rated products: Stan.store/jennifermcdougall_