Beware the ‘Narcissistic Sociopath’

From Leeds Teacher, November 21st

Untold misery is being inflicted on staff in a small number of our schools by Heads who use bullying techniques to cover up their own inadequacy. The pressure of Ofsted and its high stakes accountability regime can help explain the general culture of stress and excessive demands in schools. But this is something different and much worse.

Unfortunately some of our schools are being led by people with sociopathic tendencies. In particular we are seeing behaviour patterns associated with a personality type known as ‘the narcissistic sociopath’ defined as ‘a tendency to view others not as fellow human beings, but rather as tools or means to an end. If certain other people are deemed unable to further the narcissistic sociopath's given agenda, they are normally cast aside. People diagnosed with this type of personality disorder usually do not have boundaries when it comes to manipulating and victimising others if doing so will lead to their own benefit’.

If you are unlucky enough to work in one of those schools you will recognise the description and the symptoms and impact outlined below:  

Typical behaviour patterns:

• Persistent criticism
• Constant threats
• Lack of empathy - is unable or unwilling to identify with, acknowledge, or accept the feelings, needs, preferences, priorities, and choices of others
• Use of formal procedures routinely
• Inability or unwillingness to use support (CPD, training or advice) to achieve goals
• Imposition of unreasonable demands or workload
• Refusal to listen to concerns or alternatives
• Leadership style which can be characterised as ‘my way or the highway’
• Creation of a culture of fear in the workplace
• Serial targeting of individuals
• Vindictive behaviour eg pursuing teachers who have left to prevent them securing new posts

Impact on individuals:

• Absence of praise leading to a permanent feeling of being undervalued
• High stress levels
• Constant fear of criticism and doing ‘the wrong thing’
• Health problems
• Dread of coming to work
• High risk of being placed in procedures which threaten your employment
• Deliberate pressure to leave work
• Feeling of powerlessness and isolation

Impact on a school:

• High staff turnover every year or term
• High sickness absence rates
• Low morale
• Loss of experienced staff and middle managers
• SLT with no independent judgement- selected and appointed to carry out the will of the narcissist and forbidden to challenge or question
• Persistent and unexplained disappearance of staff

What can we do?

It is notoriously difficult to tackle this kind of behaviour in an effective way. If you are the victim you are very strongly advised to contact the Union. In reality it is very likely that you will have to at some stage as the impact on you becomes intolerable. The most effective response by far, however, is the collective one. This kind of management style is dangerous for all staff in the end and damaging and destructive to the whole school. Watching it happen to others and hoping it never affects you is the workplace equivalent of Russian Roulette.

Where we can compile the evidence and generate a sense of collective will and determination amongst staff we can challenge bullying management. If we can’t always stop it we can at least clip its wings.

Bullying is never good management, never the victim’s fault and never justified. Don’t suffer it alone and don’t watch colleagues suffer it alone!

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