If you're struggling to climb the ladder at work, new studies show that you may need to put yourself on a pedestal. Sure, the character of Narcissus from Greek mythology may have perished because he fell in love with his own image, but research suggests that modern-day narcissists are actually getting ahead in the workforce. According to a Toronto Star article, it's not that narcissists necessarily have better ideas -- they just give winning sales pitches. And, it turns out that companies are more likely to jump on board a narcissist's well-sold idea.

In related news, a recent article in The Globe and Mail advises that we all applaud our narcissistic bosses because many of them get the job done right. Citing Winston Churchill and Steve Jobs as examples, the article proposes that narcissists are ambitious innovators who will likely rise to the top and bring the company up with them.

Being a fairly modest person, I have to admit that I'm not quite sold on this whole narcissism thing. Frankly, I find people who think too highly of themselves kind of annoying, and I'm not really convinced that we modest folk can’t take care of business just as well as our arrogant counterparts. But maybe there's something to be said of compromise. While being arrogant can be a turn off, being too modest can leave you unnoticed at work. So, if you're like me and don't want to trade in your humility for conceit, just turn your confidence up a notch. When you have an idea or proposal, don't self efface or apologize. Pitch it with poise and see where it lands. Your special brand of modest confidence might just impress the pants off of your boss and narcissistic co-workers alike.

Veronica