The narcissist's primary goal is to increase his importance and stature among his rivals and within his golden circle of influence. He convincingly pretends that he cares about the destinies of those who work for him. As long as they are obedient and compliant, the narcissist exploits their gifts and talents to the max. When an employee loses his luster--through aging, lack of valuable contacts, not producing the results that the narcissist demands, he is dismissed. From the narcissist's perspective, this individual has become an insignificant speck, disappearing into the wind as if he never existed.
Many narcissists choose a special person, a consigliere, a counselor who plays many roles. This individual is the keeper of secrets. The consigliere knows where all the bodies are buried: the lawsuits, subpoenas, unpaid debts, personal acrimonies, ex-wives/ex-husbands complaints and threats, plans to destroy rivals. The narcissist entrusts his secrets to the consigliere, telling him or her what cannot be known to his family or business associates. When the fire alarm goes off and huge amounts of cash are needed to cover exorbident expenses, the consigliere finds the money man, the bag man who loans millions of dollars at usurious rates to keep the businesses and lifestyles in full operation. This counselor knows who's going to get the ax: how, when, where, and why. In medieval times the role of consigliere was played by a special nobleman often from a rival faction. It was not unusual for him to serve several generations of royalty.
Today we have consiglieri who advise Presidents and kings. They are gold plated members of the power elite, the ultimate insiders. Consiglieri are chosen for their loyalty, quick astute moves, influential contacts, discretion. There are political dynasties in the United States who have kept the same consigliere for decades. The consigliere is talented at smoothing and polishing the image of the narcissist's rough edges. He is available 24/7 to put out the many professional and personal fires that erupt in the narcissist's turbulent life. He often takes charge of public relations when the narcissist has caused an ugly dispute or gotten into an encounter that could cause scandal, like a blatant affair, an alcoholic binge, or an acrimonious dispute with an ex-employee. The consigliere is often overpaid for his services. In exchange he remains fiercely loyal as in medieval times to his King---the narcissist.

Linda Martinez_lew, Ph. D.