Psycho bosses on the loose

Are you in their line of fire?

Hilary Freeman
Guardian

You'd recognise a psychopath if you were unlucky enough to come across one, wouldn't you? Don't be so sure. The media may portray the psychopath as a crazed serial killer - the stuff of nightmares and horror films - but the reality is chillingly different. Not all psychopaths are violent criminals and fewer still have a desire to eat you for dinner. Many are highly successful businessmen and women, lawyers, academics, politicians, doctors and teachers. Psychopaths wear suits too... in fact, there could be one in your office.
According to a recent news report, an Australian psychiatrist and criminal profiler is planning a series of lectures to show employers how to spot psychopaths at work. University of Sydney psychologist John Clarke believes it's essential that employers learn how to identify psychopaths in order to reduce problems in the workplace.

Clarke says workplace psychopaths have the same psychological make-up as killers. The only difference is that they have the ability to hide their psychopathic tendencies behind the front of a respectable, white-collar job. Employers should beware liars, cheaters, smooth-talkers, people who appear bored, those who change jobs quickly and those who believe they should be higher up in the company; all are potential psychopaths. (Note that recent studies have discovered that 15% of top executives misrepresent their education, and one-third of all CVs contain lies.)

Psychopaths aren't mad: they're sane, rational, often highly intelligent individuals. What separates them from the norm is a series of character traits - among them impulsiveness, egocentricity, lack of empathy and irresponsibility - which make them a highly dangerous and destructive force in society. No-one is certain exactly what causes a person to be psychopathic, although it is now generally believed that psychopaths are born, not made. As yet, psychopathy can neither be cured nor successfully treated.

Robert Hare, professor of psychology at the University of Vancouver, is considered to be one of the world's foremost experts in the study of psychopathy. He estimates that about 1% of the population are psychopaths. "Psychopaths use superficial charm, manipulation, intimidation, and violence to control others and satisfy their own selfish needs," he says. "They lack conscience and feelings for others, cold-bloodedly take what they want and do as they please, violating social norms and expectations without the slightest guilt or regret."

In the go- getting, ruthless world of modern business, such personal qualities are often valued and encouraged.

The result? A psychopath who stays on the right side of the law can go far, charming and manipulating their way to the top of the career ladder and treading on those in their way. "These individuals are every bit as egocentric, callous and manipulative as the average criminal psychopath," says Robert Hare. "However, their intelligence, family background, social skills and circumstances permit them to construct a facade of normalcy and to get what they want with relative impunity."

Tim Field, author of Bully in Sight , is convinced that the manager whose relentless bullying ruined his career, health and marriage, was a psychopath. After researching thousands of cases of bullying at work, he now believes that 90% of bullying incidents are committed by serial bullies, the majority of whom have psychopathic characteristics. He's currently writing a book about psychopaths in the workplace.

"I estimate that one person in 30, male or female, is a serial bully," he states. "Like the textbook psychopath, serial bullies are emotionally cold, compulsive liars and experts at mimicry and deception. They sail through psychometric tests with flying colours and are masters of the latest workplace jargon, which is sure to impress management. They tend to rise swiftly through the ranks, giving them the ideal position to target those below them.

"While, on the surface, the psychopathic bully might seem to have the organisation's best interests at heart, his only objectives are power, control, domination and subjugation. By the time this is realised, the damage is done. Employers are in denial, even though serial bullying is estimated to cost the taxpayer between £12bn and £30bn per year."

Tim says that in 98% of cases, the serial bully will target one individual, while charming and deceiving everyone else. This individual will be isolated from colleagues, subjected to public humililiation and tormented until they leave or break down. The bully will then move on to the next victim. If they sense that information detrimental to their reputation is being spread, the bully will create conflict between those who are collating this negative information.

In Tim's opinion, female serial bullies are more dangerous than their male counterparts. "They're more devious, more manipulative and will often persuade male colleagues to do their dirty work for them. They're less likely to resort to violence, so less likely to get spotted or cross over into criminal behaviour."

According to Tim, most serial bullies have a Jekyll and Hyde nature: "They are vile, vicious and vindictive in private, but innocent and charming in front of witnesses. No-one can - or wants to - believe this individual has a vindictive nature. Only the current target of the bully's aggression sees both sides. Whilst the Jekyll side is described as 'charming' and convincing enough to deceive personnel, management and a tribunal, the Hyde side is frequently described as 'evil'. Hyde is the real person, Jekyll an act."

Whether or not there are more psychopaths around today is debatable. But Dr Paul Babiak, an industrial-organisational psychologist in New York, believes psychopaths thrive in the current business climate. Speaking at the annual meeting of the American Neuropsychiatric Association, he said the organisational chaos that typifies many of today's rapidly growing, downsizing and merging companies is the ideal environment for the psychopath to achieve success.

So, what should you do if you suspect you are working for, or alongside, a psychopath? There are no easy answers. Work with a psychopath and you'll either unwittingly collude or become a victim. Even Robert Hare admits that he has fallen prey to the charm of psychopaths on several occasions.

Unless you can prove a psychopath has committed fraud or another criminal offence, the law provides little protection. "Current sexual, race and disability discrimination legislation does nothing to deter workplace psychopaths," says Tim Field. "If anything, it just gives them the opportunity to find new ways of expressing their tendencies which aren't covered by law.

"Any perceived 'vulnerability' can be enough to make you a target - even if it's just your need for secure employment. In fact, the majority of people who come to me with accounts of being bullied are popular and good at their jobs. The highest performers are targeted so the bully can take credit for their achievements.

"If you think your manager is a psychopath the only thing I can advise is to get out before the damage is done. The more you recognise them for what they are the more you'll become a target."