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« A Little Perspective | Main | Improving the Virtual Meeting »

July 13, 2005

Your Boss: A Psychopath?

“Egggselent.”

Can you hear your boss murmur this in his cube? Apparently, you and Homer from “The Simpsons” are not the only ones. According to a recent Fast Company article, psychopaths –- defined as those unburdened by conscience who selfishly use people “callously and remorselessly for their own ends” –- don’t merely exist in corporate America, but are now more than ever harbored in the business environment. In his study involving a half-dozen companies, renowned industrial psychologist Paul Babiak found that the rapid changes the economy has recently undergone have fed corporate psychopaths, who thrive on the thrills of fast transformations.

Apparently, these people succeed because those around them assume they are not fundamentally different from the average compassionate person and that they do care about others’ feelings. This assumption allows corporate psychopaths to prey on those around them. “They have an element of emotional intelligence, of being able to see our emotions very clearly and manipulate them,” says Michael Maccoby, a psychotherapist interviewed for the article who has consulted for major corporations.

But how do you know if your boss is afflicted with this state of mind? Take this quiz, which is based on the standard clinical test for psychopathy. The quiz focuses on the so-called nonviolent “corporate psychopath.” Fast Company notes that this quiz is a “strictly amateur exercise.”

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Posted by Maya on July 13, 2005 at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (100) | TrackBack (0)

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Comments

Thanks for the validation. She's definitely troubled, I've definitely got a problem that I can point to, now.

Posted by: S | Jul 13, 2005 12:23:03 PM

Thanks for reading Fast Company! Reader feedback to that piece has been pretty interesting.

Posted by: Heath Row | Jul 13, 2005 6:58:05 PM

My boss isn't a psychopath.

Of course, he would say otherwise about me!

Posted by: Charlie on the Pennsylvania Turnpike | Jul 19, 2005 9:00:12 AM

My last boss was a psychopath. We all knew it. We watched our backs. Several of us who had been with the company many years with outstanding performance lost our jobs. She'd been in her management position just five months at that time. She is still there. I'm still unemployed, almost ten months later.

Posted by: katie | Jul 19, 2005 1:34:22 PM

My last boss was a psychopath. We all knew it. We watched our backs. Several of us who had been with the company many years with outstanding performance lost our jobs. She'd been in her management position just five months at that time. She is still there. I'm still unemployed, almost ten months later.

Posted by: katie | Jul 19, 2005 1:37:43 PM

There are lots of ways to get ahead in business. One way is to be good to others, to work hard, to stay connected. Another is to lie and manipulate. Unfortunately, liars and manipulators usually often do well in business, even as they undermine it. I recently came across a resume of a local up and comer. It's so full of lies and stretched truths that I just laughed. He listed his current position as having started years before the company he's working for was even founded. I guess if Al Gore invented the Internet, this guy can work for a start-up 5 years before it even existed. Seriously, until those of us who are honest call the spades what they are, we'll just be run over by them.

Posted by: E | Jul 26, 2005 7:38:18 AM

I had a job I loved for six months got a substantial raise after three months and then a management change. I was assigned to a woman who had a reputation for not keeping assistants. I went in with an open mind the first week of June. She never gave me a chance - gave me assignments and then told me she never told me to do it; talked about me within earshot; consistently set me up to fail. I finally resigned after seven weeks. I have never ever worked for a more manipulative person. However, anyone who did not work for her would say she was the nicest person - always remembering birthdays etc. Yes, a definite psychopath. Thanks for the enlightening article.

Posted by: Lynn | Jul 26, 2005 9:59:46 AM

This problem is not limited to the corporate world. As a former teacher and current non-profit worker, I have encountered quite a few supervisors over the years that would not do well on the psychopath test. The scariest part is that these people were spending donors and/or taxpayers money to carry out their schemes and demean their employees! Thankfully, now I'm in an environment where people are more open and pleasant to work with.

Posted by: Nichole | Jul 26, 2005 10:08:01 AM


My boss is a psychopath. He is the most ruthless, selfish person I've ever met. It is so difficult working for him. He takes credit for everything others do. He sounds so elegant when he talks in public, he would fool you all. Gosh, now that I know he is actually a psycopath, kind of scares me but he fits this article to the letter!

Posted by: lynn | Jul 26, 2005 10:19:12 AM

My life has been destroyed over the years due to dating 2 psychopaths. My fiancee just had a heart attack over this one i with now. Very sad. Anyway, and this man states he is a christian. He controlled my life, messed up my christian walk with the lord, i am doing big sins i regret and finding hard to forgive myself. I forgive him and past x. God is angry with me now due to the sins I done. Got very serious gambling problem due to all this. anyway, if anyone like to speak, please send email to the host and they will send me email
thank u

Posted by: N | Jul 26, 2005 10:51:47 AM

I can understand Charlie's statement. I've worked for a few of these, but none as bad as my last one. Certain employees get the shaft from him, and then he gets the president of the company to lay me off because I have the nerve to demand some respect. Other employees have told me that I was treated worse than any others have ever been there, and I believe it. One lady even had a heart attack because of a demeaning outburst in front of employees and customers one day. The owner refused to do anything, saying that it was just the way things were going to be--don't like it, you can leave. One thing I want to know: how does one get another job when these evil people are getting called for references on us? I've been unemployed for almost 4 months, and I think I'm running out of possibilities at this point. Charlie, I wish the best for you--I know how it feels.

Posted by: Debra | Jul 26, 2005 11:25:32 AM

Please do not give up on your career search. You will find a position with someone who will look beyond that blemish! I recently accepted an offer, not an awesome one, but an offer non the less. I searched for 17 months for a position after being fired for standing up for myself from a tyranical, unrelenting, horrible man, who gave me a great review and a big salary increase then fired me a month later. I'm so much happier and I have a beautiful baby boy that I had a chance to bond with!

Posted by: Suzy | Jul 26, 2005 12:48:45 PM

MY BOSS IS ACTUALLY PRETTY COOL. MY HUSBAND ON THE OTHER HAND PERFECTLY MATCHED EVERY QUESTION ON THE QUIZ BUT ONE. LOL POOR POOR ME...AND DONT FORGET HIS CO-WORKERS..

Posted by: KIM | Jul 26, 2005 1:31:53 PM

I worked in VA Beach, for a Non-profit organization. We had an Associate Director that promised me that I was getting a raise. She said to keep it between us. Well, when I didn't get the raise, I asked her about it and she said she was waiting on MAK. Well, it never happened, so I went to the HR and asked if I was put in for a raise and she said no. Dolo T. got in trouble for it and came back to me and said, "I said this was between me and you." And I said, not when I didn't get my raise, then it was between the HR and I. Manipulation is not the key to a great working environment. Bullies are what they're called. Office bullies need to be stomped out, so don't take their crap, call them to the carpet and get them out of there. Have a nice day!!!

Posted by: P =:) | Jul 26, 2005 2:37:05 PM

I feel your pain Charlie, Katie and E, Pychopath all get away with it and it is LEGAL, some articles call them bullies and there is nothing we can do about it. My boss, the pychopath, bullied me in front of customer's, auditors and co-workers, funny, never in front of the Owner of the business. Everyone knew it and no one said a thing. Inclusive kept giving more and more responsability until one day, the owner fired me due to performance. Never once did the owner allow a meeting I requested many times to advise him of this situation, so here I am without a job. I believe the owner has fallen into this pychopath grasp and all of the employees are unhappy and being released one by one by the phyco and the owner just lays back and enjoy the show.

Posted by: Margarita | Jul 26, 2005 5:38:23 PM

After working for one psychopath who verbally abused me, I unwittingly took a job with another. After a week,this one fired me without reason and without warning. He told me at the interview he was going to pray about his decision to hire me. He claimed he was a Christian. He taught a Bible study and went to prayer meetings. He used to make me do work for his church on office time. Anyway, I can't get unemployment and can't find another job. The boss I had before these two was a psychopath who spied on me. I stopped dating because I kept attracting men like that, but I can't stop working. People tell me I'm too nice. Does that make me a target? I've learned to detect psycho men in my personal life, but how do I avoid them professionally?

Posted by: maturewoman | Jul 27, 2005 12:14:06 AM

I think I need to explain my previous comment. I was trying to be funny (and apparently, missed the mark). Truth be told, my boss wouldn't call me a psychopath; more than a little crazy, perhaps, but...

I have had some draconian bosses in my time, but I haven't had any such in several years. The last time I did, in fact, was when I was still young enough not to care if I stood up to her, regardless of the consequences. And I did. And I survived, and practically defanged her from inflicting further abuse.

That was long ago and far away, and not something I would endorse people doing cavalierly today. However, if the manager is psychopath, get out. Find new work. Along the way, document EVERYTHING.

Don't worry too much about the 'references' given. The contact should be your 'old' company's HR office, and they can't legally say much more than your start-end dates.

Do what you have to in order NOT to be subject to demeaning treatment.

Posted by: Charlie on the Pennsylvania Turnpike | Jul 27, 2005 9:08:46 AM

at our office, this woman (for lack of a better term) was hired as a RRT, then they fired the lead Rep (who hired me) I asked for her position and was told it wasn't goI was fired from my position after 2 years of loyal dedicated work, the last of the original 3 employees ing to be filled, not even a month later this "woman" hires her ex-roommate co-worker to fill the position, and at $4 more per HOUR, and I received a 36 cent raise!
Then she fired the other employee and replaced him with yet another former co-worker, then it was my turn to be done, I was just told that at the end of the day that it (and I quote) "your last day at this company" WOW, how do people sleep at night? Needless to say hurt, shocked and now pissed off. It's been almost 3 months, and have sent out over 100 resumes, but still nothing, she then tried to get my unemployment denied by saying it was misconduct, they did their findings and decided it was not. When I contacted my former co workers, they both said make sure you incorporate into your statemnet about us, because there is a pattern and that is what I did, I finally got unemployment after waiting 6 weeks.

Posted by: p | Jul 27, 2005 2:19:10 PM

Creepy! The term psychopath sounds so derogatory, even slanderous.

But I read the article and quiz and recognized the personality of another employee. What makes these types attractive to employers? Why would they get hired? Why would they allow other employees to get fired based on the input of a psychopath?

I'm rather taken aback to reading some people's posts here, losing their jobs after YEARS with a company based on a "psychopath's" direction.

Posted by: B | Jul 28, 2005 7:33:54 AM

The reason these psychopaths exist is because their bosses allow it. They get the results they want and do not care about the damage inflcted on us. These people are obviously not blind or stupid. They know what's going on.

Posted by: Bill | Jul 28, 2005 10:01:23 AM

Katie/Charlie on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, you've been unemployed for 10 months and your "boss" is still there. Funny how that works, but it sure makes it difficult to keep a positive attitude. Hope things are looking better.

Really! I'm not a psychopath!

Posted by: Gary | Jul 28, 2005 10:25:35 AM

I joined the "managed by a psycho boss" society years ago - assumed a new position with a new manager who spent the first 6 months trying to get me fired. In my case, I beat him at his own game - developed strong one-on-one relationships with his clients who praised my work and "his obvious good management". It fed the ego need and he backed off. But I watched the charm and venom pattern - co-workers and even management really didn't know how to respond to it, which kept him on the payroll for years. But happily, time wounds all heels and his maniacal need to skirt chase resulted in eventual HR actions and dismissal.

Posted by: Mel | Jul 28, 2005 10:52:04 AM

I worked for a psychopath - scored 13.5 out of 16 - and he laid me off three weeks ago. Funny thing, my blood pressure has dropped 30 points - apparently being unemployed is less stressful than working for him!

Posted by: Teri Lester | Jul 28, 2005 1:22:00 PM

WoW! I too have been the victim of physcho supervisors. One actually told me to "think again about carpooling with her." Duh? Why would carpooling with a co-worker be detrimental to me? I did get laid off but after she left on medical leave for cancer treatment - sometimes there is a universal debt to pay when you live your life in hopes of destroying others.

But my favorite psycho was the one who told me that I could not move into a new position because I did not have the necessary experience - the new position was tasks and responsibilities that were split from my job because there was not enough time to finish all my work without overtime. I couldn't believe it! Work I had been doing for years but I was not experienced enough! I took that one over her head and won. I wasn't the only victim and eventually she was demoted and was so embarassed by it, she retired. She also told me that I should move to Arizona because I suffered from allergies and when I said that was not an option because I wanted to stay near my family, she threatened to put me in for a medical lay off. I stopped that one by having my doctor write a letter stating my allergies did not interfere in my job. When she found out, she tried to force me to sign a release she wrote so she cold speak directly to my doctor!! NOT!

Unemployee again. Last time it was years before finding a job. I pray it's much sooner this time. Our country has to stop the flood of jobs leaving this country or no one here will be able to buy the products the companies are having made overseas! Don't they see that?

Posted by: P.A.Wolf | Jul 28, 2005 3:52:49 PM

First off, for 'B,' my understanding is that psychopath IS a derogatory term!!!
I worked (as a supervisor) for a psychopathic organization - and this was a contractor to a US government agency. From the head mucky muck, who seemed to be half in the bag most times, to the HR manager who thought we couldn't discipline people for sticking their fingers in my chest and challenging a supervisory directive (because they didn't know they couldn't do that - I am SERIOUS!!!) to the 'manager' who was previously a truck driver and undermined everything I did by going to my clerks without involving me in directives, etc, and talked out of both sides of his mouth. The last straw was when I attempted to handle a disciplinary matter and got a 2 day suspension out of it because they thought I didn't handle it properly. I had been there all of 10 months.
I handed in my resignation in the same meeting they gave me my suspension days and the HR manager had the audacity to say "May I ask why you're resigning?"
I should have seen it coming with the finger in the chest incident.

Posted by: pam | Jul 29, 2005 8:48:40 AM

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