The prevalence of narcissism in various aspects of society has led organizations to seek ways to prevent destructive and manipulative behavior in the workplace. San Francisco State University researchers, led by Professors Kevin Eschleman and Chris Wright, developed a tool called the Narcissism Interview Scale for Employment (NISE) to assess narcissistic grandiosity among potential job candidates. This tool consists of behavioral and situational questions that can be incorporated into job interviews to evaluate a candidate’s propensity for narcissistic behavior. By focusing on personality traits in addition to skills, organizations hope to avoid hiring individuals who may disrupt team dynamics.
The NISE project was initiated in response to organizations seeking guidance on effective team building, candidate selection, and the avoidance of “bad apples” in the workplace. Organizations often prioritize a candidate’s skills on paper without fully considering their personality traits, which can lead to detrimental effects on team environments. Employees with narcissistic grandiosity tend to have inflated self-views, make self-focused decisions, and prioritize short-term gains over long-term organizational needs. The NISE tool aims to help organizations identify individuals who may exhibit narcissistic tendencies and potentially disrupt team cohesion.
While the assessment of narcissistic grandiosity is not a perfect science, the researchers hope that the NISE tool will increase the odds of building successful teams and creating a healthy work environment. The tool is designed to be easy to use and adaptable by different work environments, focusing on incorporating it into job interviews as a widely accepted practice in the hiring process. Researchers aim to ensure that the questions are phrased in a way that is favorable for the candidate, rather than directly accusing them of narcissistic behavior.
One of the study authors, Sharon Pidakala, who is now a People & Development Manager at Lawyers On Demand in Singapore, utilized her research on the NISE tool in her daily work. She emphasized the importance of asking questions in a subtle manner to avoid directly labeling candidates as narcissistic. Pidakala credits her training in organizational psychology at SF State for equipping her with versatile skills that can be applied globally, enhancing her expertise in talent acquisition, culture, development, organizational policies, and employee engagement.
Overall, the NISE tool developed by San Francisco State University researchers offers organizations a means to assess potential job candidates for narcissistic grandiosity during the hiring process. By incorporating behavioral and situational questions into job interviews, organizations can evaluate candidates’ propensity for narcissistic behavior and potentially avoid hiring individuals who may disrupt team dynamics. While the assessment of narcissism is not absolute, the tool aims to increase the odds of building successful teams and creating a healthy work environment by considering both skills and personality traits in the hiring process.