Narcissism At Work

What happens when harm comes from someone you expected to feel safest with? When your shared identity becomes the very weapon used against you? In this final Listener Letter, Jay shares the story of his short-lived “dream job” under a charismatic Black female founder known for championing diversity. Within seven weeks, the role left him emotionally broken, suicidal, and doubting his sense of mascu...

In our final episode, we explore what it actually means to build a healthy workplace, shifting our focus from toxic behaviours to constructive solutions. We welcome back clinical psychologist Dr. Daksha Hirani and our special guest, Raakhi, Other Box’s HR consultant. So, what does psychological safety look like? How do we promote leadership that centres empathy, accountability, and emotional intel...

In this week’s Listener Letter, we meet Dani, who shares their experience of a working relationship that spanned eight years, one that began in mutual respect and creative fire, and slowly devolved into manipulation, emotional intimidation, and a cycle of abuse that nearly destroyed their marriage and mental health. It’s a painfully honest account of what it’s like to work side-by-side with a narc...

What happens when trying to protect yourself at work gets twisted into “not being a team player”? Or when being firm gets labelled as “aggressive”? In Episode 7 of Narcissism At Work , Leyya and Dr. Daksha Hirani unpack how to set boundaries in environments where narcissistic dynamics thrive. From subtle manipulation to outright sabotage, we explore the tactics that leave people feeling unsafe, hy...

In this bonus episode, Faisa writes in as a manager whose confidence was shattered by a direct report who consistently blurred the line between vulnerability and manipulation. From rejecting basic feedback and weaponising mental health language, to quietly shifting blame and undermining leadership through conflicting narratives, this experience explores what happens when managers, especially empat...

Have you ever left a job feeling like a shell of yourself—anxious, exhausted, second-guessing everything, and unsure how it got so bad? In this episode of Narcissism at Work, Leyya and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Daksha Hirani explore the deep, often invisible toll that narcissistic abuse takes on the body and mind. From chronic stress and anxiety to adrenal fatigue and disconnection from self, this...

In this Listener Letter, we hear from Hannah, a former employee who found herself working under the same narcissistic CEO twice, a decade apart. At first, she returned believing things would be different. But what followed was an extreme environment of control, gaslighting, public humiliation, and 24/7 surveillance dressed up as “remote flexibility.” From forced video calls all day long, to aggres...

Have you ever dealt with an HR team that protects toxic leaders and silences the people they hurt? In this episode of Narcissism at Work, we explore how narcissism can show up not just in individuals but in entire systems. From performative DEI to HR structures that enable abuse, we unpack how power and progressive language can be used as tools of control. While many HR teams do great work, we’re...

In this bonus episode, we hear from Mo, a husband whose life and marriage were shaken by his wife’s narcissistic boss.  From emotional manipulation, faux-therapeutic language to reframe abuse as care, to cult-like loyalty and isolation, Mo recounts the mental toll of watching his partner be drained of confidence and convinced that she was the problem. This letter reveals how narcissistic abus...

On this episode of Narcissism At Work, we're diving into what happens when a respected visionary founder turns into a source of emotional manipulation, fear, and chaos. Startups are often praised for their innovation and drive, but they can also be prime territory for narcissistic behaviours, cleverly disguised as passion, purpose, and progress. We're joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Daksha Hir...

Bonus episode 3 explores the story of Rani, whose dream job at a supposedly inclusive workplace quickly turned into a toxic nightmare. What started as feeling “seen” and championed by a senior colleague spiralled into emotional manipulation, weaponised feedback, and guilt-laced control. Rani's letter uncovers how narcissistic individuals often use the illusion of support to gain influence, only to...

We’ve all heard of toxic bosses, but what about colleagues who exhibit narcissistic traits? In this episode of Narcissism At Work, Leyya and clinical psychologist Dr. Daksha Hirani explore the less talked-about, but just as damaging, impact of narcissism among our peers. From backstabbing and silent smear campaigns to credit-stealing and emotional manipulation, this episode dives deep into the war...

We're sharing the story of Aisha, a professional who entered a role at a start-up sold as inclusive and progressive, only to be met with manipulation, erratic behaviour, and emotional abuse by a narcissistic leader. Aisha describes being gaslit, love-bombed, and constantly destabilised through inconsistent feedback, intrusive WhatsApp messages, and power plays tied to vulnerability. The episode to...

How do you know when you're working for a narcissist? In this episode of Narcissism At Work , host Leyya and clinical psychologist Dr. Daksha unpack the subtle, and not-so-subtle, signs of narcissistic behaviour in professional settings. From love bombing to identity theft, we explore the mirroring tactics narcissists use to draw people in, disarm them, and gain their trust. We also dig into how t...

In this bonus episode of Narcissism At Work, we hear from Anna , a high-performing professional stuck in a toxic workplace led by a manipulative, narcissistic boss. Her story explores the chronic fear, power imbalances, and emotional exhaustion that define narcissistic abuse at work, particularly for women and people of colour. Through cycles of love-bombing and devaluation, Anna begins to lose he...

In our first episode, we unpack one of the most misused words in modern psychology: narcissism, and explain how it shows up in the workplace. While the term is often thrown around, we dig beneath the surface with expert insight from Clinical Psychologist Dr. Daksha Hirani, who has 25+ years of experience supporting people impacted by narcissistic abuse. We explore: What narcissism really means (an...

Welcome to the second trailer for Narcissism At Work, a podcast series created to break the silence around narcissistic abuse in professional settings. In this trailer, we introduce our bonus Listener Letters episodes. Real stories submitted by the Other Box community, sharing the lived experience of navigating toxic workplaces and narcissistic dynamics. When you’re in the middle of narcissistic a...

Welcome to the first trailer for Narcissism At Work , a brand-new podcast hosted by award-winning social impact entrepreneur Leyya Sattar and clinical psychologist Dr. Daksha Hirani. In this sneak peek, we introduce the toxic patterns and power plays that narcissists use to manipulate, control, and gaslight others in professional settings, from subtle digs to full-blown psychological warfare. You’...