You’re bound to run into narcissistic bosses at some point in your career, because such personalities gravitate toward leadership.

“Most public leaders have a large streak of narcissism in them or I don’t think they’d be able to lead,” says psychologist and executive coach Randall White, a principal with the Executive Development Group LLC.

“They tend to be perceived as overly ambitious … [with] an ‘it’s all about me’ quality, becoming extremely harsh with employees.”

Dr. White, who works in the company’s Greensboro, N.C., office, says this self-orientation shapes a view of the world that colors everything they do and say. It also sets an agenda that is theirs alone. Most are task-oriented, “letting the crumbs fall down on employees to make the boss look good,” he says.

Read the full article in Mildred L. Culp’s syndicated column.