Narcissistic behavior in business doesn’t always look extreme.
It rarely starts with arrogance.
It starts with intensity.
Charm.
Confidence.
Big vision.
Big promises.
You feel chosen.
Seen.
Pulled in.
That’s how it gets past your guard.
In the beginning, it feels like alignment.
Like momentum.
Like finally being understood.
Here’s how it usually unfolds.
They move fast with connection.
Too much familiarity early.
Too much praise.
Too much “we’re aligned.”
It feels exciting.
It feels validating.
It feels like things are finally clicking.
But it skips trust building.
Everything centers around them.
Their story.
Their struggle.
Their brilliance.
Your role slowly shifts from partner to support system.
At first, it’s subtle.
Then it’s consistent.
When you raise concerns, reality starts bending.
If you bring something up, you’re sensitive.
If you point out contradictions, you misunderstood.
If you’re hurt, you’re overreacting.
Facts become flexible.
Your memory starts getting questioned.
Then comes the inconsistency.
One moment, you’re valued.
The next, you’re ignored or diminished.
That swing keeps you trying harder.
Explaining more.
Adjusting yourself.
You don’t realize it yet, but you’re regulating their ego.
Wins belong to them.
Problems are circumstantial.
Mistakes somehow land near you.
Accountability never sticks.
Here’s the most important sign.
You start losing clarity around them.
You over explain.
You second guess yourself.
You feel anxious before interactions.
Your nervous system knows before your mind does.
If this is hitting close to home, the next part is where things start to shift.