Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work

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Dumb psychopaths go to prison, smart psychopaths go to the executive floor". That's the premise of this interesting book that analyses how psychopaths manage to be successful in corporate environments or in specific industries. According to the author, psychopaths are 4 times more frequent among managers than among the general population.The book offers many great insights, and although inevitably, when specific examples were mentioned, I did sometimes wonder whether impression management or high-energy office banter might label me a psychopath (don't read this if you have psychological hypochondria), the author makes clear that true psychopaths display an entire range of behaviours with underneath a chilling emotional shallowness.The pace slows down a bit here and there when the author provides specific HR advice for people dealing with psychopaths (when they're already part of the organisation), or trying to weed out psychopaths from job applicants.This book helped me realise that an old friend (now estranged), whose behaviour I'd always found strange and cruel, had many psychopathic tendencies, as did a former colleague whose destructive energy had previously baffled me (you know who you are :). If I'd read this book before, I'd have realised this sooner and I would have been better prepared to deal with their behaviour. But odds are I'll meet more psychopaths during the rest of my career, so unfortunately it will probably come in useful in the future. Read more While Kerr points out that psychologists are not ethically allowed to diagnose people they have not assessed themselves without their consent, the memoir Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight – was written by a successful attorney, law professor and high-functioning non-criminal, self-proclaimed sociopath under the pseudonym Ms ME Thomas – may help explain the behaviour and, to an extent, the success of some of the big tech CEOs mentioned above as “socialised” or “successful” psychopaths.

One common complaint of this book is that it supposedly makes people call 'psychopath' on their co-workers. That is not this book's fault. They state several times that people aren't qualified to determine the mental health of their co-workers and, more importantly, that having a few of these traits doesn't make someone a psychopath. If people don't want to listen and would rather play armchair psychologist, that's on them. I'd rather live in a world where it is okay to write books on topics like this than in one where authors didn't publish books because overzealous readers don't take the authors' advice. Additionally, I wished there was more quality research. Even for a popular science book, this felt a little bit too empty. I would have loved more history, more facts, more content. I feel like I am able now to know what a psychopath is but still, I think I would have liked more. John was pleased to interact with someone who, despite his age, understood so well the intricacies of building a business. He pushed aside the suggested interview questions HR had prepared for him and asked Dave to tell him about himself. Dave obliged eagerly by describing his work history, giving plenty of examples reflecting John’s respect for hard work and diligence. The extent of Dave’s experience was—at age thirty-five—impressive, documented by a résumé and a portfolio most would work a career to achieve.In the business world, it can be difficult to know who to trust. And while most people are inherently honest, there is a segment of the population that is not. Individuals with psychopathic tendencies can be dangerous in the workplace, and though they may appear normal on the surface, they are actually quite manipulative and destructive. In the same article, Isaacson writes: “I asked him again about his tendency to be rough on people. ‘Look at the results,’ he replied. ‘These are all smart people I work with, and any of them could get a top job at another place if they were truly feeling brutalised. But they don’t.’ Then he paused for a few moments and said, almost wistfully: ‘And we got some amazing things done’.”

If so, that person might be a psychopath. Not all psychopaths wind up in jail; some wheedle their way into big corporations and become so-called corporate, or white-collar, psychopaths. Once they’re in, they manipulate their bosses, colleagues and subordinates to get what they want while destroying everyone in their way. How would you describe Dave’s personality? Would you hire Dave? 1 Nice Suit. Would a Snake Wear Such a Nice Suit? Most workers are honest, loyal, law-abiding citizens, concerned with making a living, contributing to society, and raising a family in a fair and just world. Others, though, are more selfish, concerned only about themselves with little regard for fairness and equity. Unfortunately, there are some individuals in the business world who allow the responsibilities of leadership and the perks of power to override their moral sense. A rise in the number of reports of abuse in major corporations should not be a surprise, given the increased access to unrestricted power, resources of startling proportions, and the erosion of ethical standards and values. In 2012, an article by Walter Isaacson, the author of the 2011 self-titled biography of Steve Jobs, appeared in the Harvard Business Review connecting Jobs’s personality and leadership style to the overall success Apple enjoyed throughout his reign. In the following blinks, you’ll find out what psychopaths are like and why they’re able to easily identify and take advantage of your weaknesses, even if you’re a trained psychologist.

Even though these traits may paint a picture of people who have no remorse and are impulsive, readers should not jump to conclusions about themselves or others being psychopaths based on this criteria. Only qualified professionals can diagnose someone as a psychopath, and even normal people may exhibit some of these traits. Big Idea #2: You are in danger So, what was my problem with this book? It's repetitive. The points that the author brings up are quite obvious often (be nice to your coworkers! don't call people psychopaths! be careful!). I didn't feel like the repetition of these was required. For me the "the names have been changed" (not to protect the innocent but to forestall legal action) case studies were probably the most interesting and helpful parts. I think you'll find this informative, eye opening and (again) even a little disturbing.