We’ve all met an arrogant person at work: the one who considers themselves superior, makes condescending remarks to tear others down, or refuses to admit their own mistakes. The arrogant person has low emotional intelligence and works from a position of bluster and fear. When an arrogant person is in a power position, the team becomes fearful, often resentful, and growth, productivity, and creativity suffer.
We’ve also all met a confident person at work: the one who considers themselves talented, encourages others to succeed, and is quite willing to admit their own mistakes. The confident person has high emotional intelligence and works from a position of calm and positive strength. When a confident person is in a power position, the team becomes confident and motivated, and growth, productivity, and creativity take the team to new heights.
Arrogant leaders breed arrogant leaders by example; confident leaders breed confident leaders by example. It’s not just arrogance in leaders that upsets the office apple cart. An arrogant person in a more junior role can also pollute the atmosphere and damage morale.
Generally, arrogance is painfully obvious to the people around them. However, some people mistake arrogance for confidence when in reality the two are poles apart. Knowing the difference is important not only so that you can hire and promote the right people for a winning team but also so that you can notice and deal with any signs of arrogance in yourself.
Yes, that’s right – you. Are you arrogant? Perhaps you’re arrogant in one aspect of your life, even if you’re not generally an arrogant person. Maybe you’ve learnt bad habits from an arrogant leader or are arrogant at work because you feel insecure, thinking that being dominant and interrupting people is a sign you’re a strong leader.
If that’s you, don’t worry. Most of us have shown arrogance at some point, and lots of us learnt it from past leaders. To admit past arrogance is actually a sign of confidence and the first step in replacing arrogance with true confidence.
Understanding the Root Causes
Arrogance and confidence, despite sometimes appearing similar, actually come from opposite ends of the self-worth spectrum. Arrogance is the strong belief or show of superiority, but its true source is fear and low self-esteem1.
It seems like a paradox: how can someone who constantly talks about how good they are suffer from low self-confidence? But when you look at the behaviours shown, it becomes clear.
The Arrogant Person:
Cares deeply what the world thinks about them, leading to boasting and projecting. They need constant external validation to prop up their fragile sense of self-worth.
Puts others down to make themselves look and feel better. They view success as a zero-sum game where someone else’s achievement diminishes their own value.
Fears others being good at what they see as their personal talent. They perceive colleagues’ strengths as threats rather than assets to the team.
Doesn’t like change as it upsets their sense of dominance. New approaches or ideas challenge their position and expose potential weaknesses.
Cannot accept their own mistakes and flaws, and will often blame others for them. Admitting error feels like acknowledging inadequacy, so they deflect responsibility.
The Confident Person:
Doesn’t worry about what the world thinks. They have an innate sense of self-worth that doesn’t depend on external validation or others’ opinions.
Likes to encourage others and enjoys seeing others succeed. They don’t think that someone else’s achievements minimise their own in any way.
Accepts that others will be better than them at certain things and wants to learn from them. They view others’ expertise as opportunities for growth rather than threats.
Is willing to own their own mistakes and flaws. They understand that errors are part of learning and don’t define their worth as a person.
Recognising the Warning Signs
Being able to spot arrogance early helps you make better hiring decisions and address problems before they damage team dynamics. Key behavioural indicators include:
Communication patterns that dominate and dismiss: consistently interrupting others during meetings, dismissing colleagues’ ideas without proper consideration, and making grandiose statements about past achievements whilst using condescending language.
Workplace interactions that isolate and blame: refusing to collaborate or seek assistance, taking credit for team accomplishments, blaming others for their own mistakes or shortcomings, and showing impatience with colleagues they perceive as less capable.
Resistance to feedback that prevents growth: demonstrating defensiveness when receiving constructive criticism and refusing to acknowledge areas for improvement.
The Impact on Teams
The danger of arrogance in the workplace extends beyond making life difficult for others. It stifles growth and creativity throughout the entire team.
Arrogant people generally have fixed mindsets, believing that the way they do things now is the best or only way. This type of person doesn’t adapt easily and tends to stifle creativity in other team members, meaning that the team stops innovating.
Research shows that arrogance breeds hostility, dysfunction, and toxicity2. Teams led by or containing arrogant individuals typically experience decreased innovation due to fear of sharing ideas, reduced psychological safety among team members, higher turnover rates as talented employees seek better environments, and breakdown in communication and collaboration.
On the other hand, a confident person has a growth mindset, always looking for the next big idea and encouraging creativity in others. Confident professionals create environments where teams can thrive and where everyone feels safe contributing their best ideas.
Managing Arrogant Colleagues
When dealing with arrogant behaviour, direct but respectful communication often proves most effective.
Set clear boundaries. Politely but firmly redirect conversations when colleagues become condescending. Don’t allow yourself to be talked over or dismissed.
Focus on facts. Use specific examples and data rather than emotional responses. “When you interrupted me three times in that meeting, it prevented the team from hearing important information” is more effective than “You’re being rude.”
Encourage collaboration. Frame requests in terms of team benefit rather than personal criticism. “The team would benefit from hearing other perspectives” works better than “Stop dominating every conversation.”
Document interactions. Keep records of problematic behaviours that impact work quality, especially if you need to escalate concerns to management.
Despite appearing deeply ingrained, arrogant behaviour can be modified through targeted development efforts. Since arrogance often stems from insecurity, focused training in self-awareness, empathy, and communication skills can create significant improvement. However, change requires the individual to recognise the problem and commit to development.
Building Confidence Without Arrogance
The key to remaining confident without drifting towards arrogance is humility. This involves acknowledging others’ contributions and expertise, admitting mistakes without defensiveness, continuously seeking opportunities to learn and grow, and maintaining perspective on personal achievements within the broader context.
Confident people share their accomplishments from a place of genuine enthusiasm rather than seeking validation. They celebrate team successes and naturally mentor junior colleagues without feeling threatened.
For leaders and managers, modelling this balance is crucial. Your team will mirror the behaviours they see in leadership. When you demonstrate confidence paired with humility, when you celebrate others’ achievements, and when you admit mistakes openly, you create permission for your team to do the same.
Developing Authentic Self-Assurance
Cultivate self-awareness through regular self-reflection on motivations and reactions, seeking feedback from trusted colleagues and mentors, and understanding personal triggers and emotional responses.
Practice recognising the difference between confidence and insecurity in yourself. Are you building others up or putting them down? Do you feel threatened by colleagues’ successes or genuinely happy for them? These questions reveal whether you’re operating from confidence or arrogance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Arrogant Employees
Building Better Workplace Relationships
There is a world of difference between arrogance and confidence in the workplace. Once you recognise that it comes down to people having different levels of innate self-worth, you can assist those showing arrogance to grow real confidence, hire truly confident people, and also watch out for any signs of arrogance in yourself.
The distinction between workplace arrogance and genuine confidence ultimately determines whether teams flourish or struggle. Whilst arrogant behaviour may seem like strength, it actually reveals insecurity and creates toxic environments that stifle innovation and collaboration.
Confident professionals, on the other hand, build others up whilst maintaining their own sense of capability and worth. They understand that true leadership comes not from putting others down but from helping everyone around them succeed.
As emotional intelligence becomes increasingly valued in workplaces, the ability to recognise and cultivate authentic confidence whilst addressing arrogant behaviours will remain one of the most important skills for both individual success and organisational prosperity.