The term psychopath is part of our common language. Psychopaths make headlines. They are the lead story on the evening news. Books are written about them.
Recently, I was watching a CNN broadcast on the Jonestown killings. A survivor was quoted as saying that Jim Jones was a psychopath. No one argued the point. So–criminals, rapists, predators, murderers, and mass murderers. Lying, manipulative, cold-hearted, deceitful, and narcissistic. No conscience, no empathy, and for the most part: deadly charm.
And yet, a 2008 book by two psychologists: Robert D. Hare and Paul Babiak–Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work, brings us a new awareness. And what is this new awareness?
It turns out there are variations in the original psychopathic model. In the early days of studying psychopaths, psychologists assumed it would be rare for a psychopath to be able to navigate corporate systems successfully and so there would be fewer of them in that environment. Turns out psychopaths thrive in the corporate world, and there are more there than in the general population. The authors explain that, “There are some individuals in the business world who allow the responsibilities of leadership and the perks of power to override their moral sense.”
If you are interested in understanding certain bosses, so-called friends, spouses and ex-spouses, people unfortunately related to you, and most definitely your enemies, this book is a must-read. If you are in Human Resources, this book belongs on your office shelf. And if you work in the corporate environment, in any capacity, this book will bring a new awareness that will make sense of the senseless at work.
Not only do the authors offer guidance on how to recognize the corporate psychopath; they also give tips, tools, and techniques for how to keep them out of your business (that’s for you Human Resources) and what to do with them if they’ve slipped by you.
Also of note: many of the techniques the authors suggest are the same ones I teach people to use to manage their personality disordered friends, family, and co-workers. So these techniques will work with all sorts of snakes, not just the ones in suits.
A couple of significant points from the book and then I’ll let you read it for yourself, if you are interested:
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2) Some companies recruit individuals with psychopathic tendencies because they mistakenly attribute “leadership” labels to what are, in actuality, psychopathic behaviors (e.g., taking charge, making decisions, and getting others to do what you want are leadership qualities, but can also be well-packaged forms of coercion, domination, and manipulation). It might take a fine eye to tell the difference (a good reason to read the book).
3) Psychopathic employees spend a good deal of time developing a network of supporters, called patrons in the book, who will advocate for the psychopath. So don’t be fooled by the fact that they have supporters!
4) Psychopaths will spread disinformation about their rivals for the sole purpose of disparaging rivals and enhancing themselves. If you are the target, beware. Read the book for tips on how to clear your name and what to do if you can’t.
The take-away for those of us looking for positive mental health? There are bad guys out there who will try to undermine and manipulate us for their own purposes. Understand them, and you are one step ahead. Learn to side-step them, and you are two steps ahead. Outsmart them, and you have beat them at their own game.
Healthy people want to be the opposite of the psychopath; empathic, loving, helping others, serving others. Long live positive mental health.
Sanity now!
*One last note: as in all fields of study, there is controversy within as well as outside. In this case, the term psychopath is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association and therefore is not the term used in the DSM-IV-TR or DSM-V. So please ignore the sidebar text on page 18-19. Don’t give this another thought. It’s a small problem, not worth the time it takes to read this. If you are a mental health professional, don’t get hung up on this detail; just keep reading. If you aren’t a mental health professional, just keep in mind that some may frown on you for the use of the term psychopath. Don’t worry about it. Again, not worth your time.
