Communal narcissists love to use others to do their bidding and those the narcissist solicits to do so are commonly called his “flying monkeys.” These individuals are in the narcissist’s corner and he goes to great lengths to keep them there. We tend to see communal narcissism play out in corporate settings in which the narc holds a high-level position with authority over others. He may have many direct reports and a group of other executives to contend with, all of whom he will manipulate into doing what he wants.
Communals love to have explicit power over others so that disobeying them has very real consequences. If called out by someone the narcissist deems inferior, this person will quickly be released from his or her position or otherwise extradited from the narcissist’s life. No one is supposed to question the communal narcissist. They’re just supposed to serve him and do as they’re told.
These narcs draw in crowds and tend to be very recognizable. They might be political giants, have many powerful affiliations, and are skilled and charismatic enough to pull off their motives. The caveat here is that communal narcissists rely on others to maintain their false façade. At the same time, relying on someone else to do the dirty work makes the narcissist feel less shameful. Without their flying monkeys, communal narcissists are made vulnerable and they will do anything possible to prevent this from happening.
Communal narcissists also isolate victims through establishing community. They draw in others in smear campaigns to get them to side with them rather than a victim. When their efforts are deemed successful, they’ve drawn in the victim’s closest friends and family, brainwashing them into severing ties altogether.
For communals, you’re either for them or against them. There is no in between. And because it’s easier to go with the flow than against the grain, victims often stay where they’re at much longer than they should with particularly damaging results.