Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work (43 page)

emotional weaknesses and, 44–45, 76–78

303

forging bonds in, 74–79

Bundy, Ted, 118

330

Index

bureaucracies

clients, psychopathic, 314–15

deterring psychopaths, 95–97

Coffin, Paul, 192

evolution of, xi–xii

collusion, avoiding, 281–83

nature of, xi, 94

competence(ies)

succession planning and, 244

assessing, 220–21, 222, 243

transitioning away from, 158, 161–63, 244

conscientiousness and, 181

Burns, Sebastian, 282–83

defined, 299

business organizations, 93–98. See also developing reputation of, 302, 306, 307, bureaucracies; corporate psychopaths;

311

hiring psychopaths

“elevator speech” and, 302

corporations as psychopaths, 94–95

implicit acceptance of, 123, 125

entrepreneurial environment, 161–63

important, for executives, 246–48

evolution of, 150–52. See also change

psychological employment contract and, fraud in, statistics, 135

150–51

honeymoon period, 123

psychopaths attacking, 299, 300, 317

manipulation of, 98–103

complainer label, avoiding, 303

organizational police, 134–35

condescension. See grandiosity

psychological employment contracts,

confrontation

150–52, 158–59, 162

avoiding, 307–8, 313

psychopath effects on, 194

of psychopaths, 139

reasons psychopaths attracted to, 118–20

cons. See manipulator subtypes (cons)

secrecy, 166–68

conscience, emotional emptiness and, 46, 55, trusting environment, 118–19

191, 198

uniqueness of, as groups, 93–94

conscientiousness, 181–82, 208

consideration, 179–80, 182

Caesar, Julius, 196–97

contracts

callous-unemotional (CU) traits, 191

entrepreneurial psychological, 162

calmness, lack of, 257–58

psychological, 150–52, 158–59

Canadian patronage scandal, 165

corporate manipulator subtype, 186–88, 191

career goals, lacking, 57–58

corporate psychopaths, 97–98. See also chameleons, social, 38–39

corporate psychopaths, handling;

change

psychopathic traits; psychopathy

attracting psychopaths, xii–xiii, 98, 164–66

building power base, 122–24

constant, 159–60

bullies, 188–90, 191–92

cycles of, 156–57

carrying workload of, 132

entrepreneurial environment and, 161–63

classic, 185–86

as fact of life, 156–59

common career progression of, 103

frustration and, 153–55

confronting, 139

increasing complexities with, 159–60

covert operation of, 98

managing, 155–56, 160

dark side of, 137–40

normal, 152

detractors of, 133–35, 136–37

principles/values guiding, 160–61

difficult people vs., 182–85. See also professionals, 156

psychopathic-like traits

psychological employment contracts and, executives as, statistics, 193

150–52, 158–59, 162

experience of, without knowing, 98–101

rapid, negative effects of, 157–59

exposure of, 137–40. See also abandonment responses to, 153–55

phase, of manipulation; revealing

succeeding amidst, 160–61

psychopaths

traits thriving in, 160

extras and, 133–34, 136–37

to transitory employment relationships, hiring/not hiring. See hiring executives; 158–59

hiring practices; hiring psychopaths

chaos, opportunity from, 45

honeymoon period, 123

charisma, 91, 92, 123, 194–95

low-utility observers of, 127–28

charm

manipulating managers/coworkers, 128–30

dark side after, 138

mimicking good performers, 120–21

excessive, 50

mixed reactions to, 136–37

impression management and, 38, 48–50

one-on-one relationships of, 121

for manipulation, 39, 48–50, 105

organizational police and, 134–35

mask of, revealing, 50

orientation/socialization process of, 117–20

for procuring new job, 105

patrons of. See patrons

social chameleons and, 38–39

pawns of, 125–27, 137–38, 139, 235,

classic psychopaths, 185–86

286–88

Cleckley, Hervey, M. D., 20–23, 100, 191

power and. See power/strength

Index

331

psychopathic fiction of, 48–50, 120–21

empathy/emotions, lack of, 46

secrecy and, 129–30, 132, 166–68

abandoning victims and, 53–54

seeing through, 133–35, 136–38

brain imaging/responses and, 26, 55, 184

supporters of, 125–27, 136–38

callous-unemotional (CU) traits and, 191

trusting environment and, 117–18

cold-blooded murderers and, 65, 66–67, underestimating, 183–84

119, 226–27, 228, 282–83

corporate psychopaths, handling. See also conscience and, 46, 55, 191, 198

victim responses

corporate manipulators and, 186

avoiding “complainer” label, 303

genetic continuity and, 47–48

avoiding confrontations, 307–8, 313

identifying, in job interviews, 226–28

avoiding psychopath labels, 301, 312

identifying/assessing victims and, 46

bosses, 303–11

knowing, but not feeling emotions, 54, build reputation as performer, 304, 314

55–56, 66–67, 77–78, 198–99, 320

building/maintaining relationships, 301–2

loyalty and, 124

coworkers, 312–13

manipulation and, 46, 50, 52

documenting communications, 304–5

mimicking emotions and, 54

leaving on own terms, 309–11

mistaken for calmness, 198–99

making formal complaints, 308–9

PCL assessments and, 26, 185

moving on after, 311

research findings, 55–56

reporting abusive behavior, 313

underestimating, 183–84

understanding harassment/anti-bullying entrepreneurial environment

policies, 303

Canadian patronage scandal, 165

using performance reviews, 305–6

hiring/promoting in, 163

The Corporation, 94–95

managing within, 162–63

corporations. See business organizations psychopathic pretenders in, 164–66

coworkers

success in, 161–63

from hell, 181–82

erratic behavior, 256–57

“psychopathic,” handling, 312–13

excuses. See responsibility, avoiding

criminals. See psychopathic criminals

executives, hiring. See hiring executives Cunanan, Andrew, 64–65

experiencing psychopaths. See also victim responses

dark triad, 124–25

exposure. See abandonment phase, of

Dave case study, xiv

manipulation; revealing psychopaths

assessing to manipulate, 61

extras, 133–34, 136–37

attracted to “employee of month” power, 59, eyes, lying and, 232

61

dissent and incongruities, 259–62

facades. See charm; impression management doubts dance away, 201–4

failure to report, 88

first day on job, 31–33

feelings. See emotions, excessive;

forging bonds, 81–83

empathy/emotions, lack of

hiring process, 1–4

female psychopaths, 101–2

mysterious, questionable actions, 143–45

fiction. See impression management; lying; parking-lot grandiosity, 59–60

psychopathic fiction

plagiarizing for gain, 107–10

first impressions, 71

subversive self-promotion, 32–33, 107–10

fledgling psychopaths, 191

successful coup, 321–22

fraud. See also psychopathic criminals; scams uncovering the truth, 291–95

Adelphia Communications case, 187

De-Laurey, Joyti, 237–38

affinity fraud, 86–87, 89–91, 281–82

detractors, 133–35, 136–37

in boardroom, statistics, 135

diagnosing psychopathy, 27–29, 102

comparative levels of, 163

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental crimes without matching penalties, 192–93

Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV), 19, 40, executive traits tending toward, 135

41, 191

Hong Kong policeman impersonator, 188–89

diamond smuggler, 72–73

Pit Bull (Helen) case, 10, 13–14

disinformation, spreading, 50–51, 129–30, probation officer case, 147–50

240, 244, 314

against religious groups, 85–87, 89–91, documenting communications, 304–5, 317

281–82

domains, 26–27

targeting vulnerable people, 188–89

Frick, Paul, 191

elderly, fraud scams of, 52–53

Frieling, Lenny, 314

embezzlement case, 63–64

frustration

emotional abuse, 285–86

overcoming, 155

emotions, excessive, 18, 227

responses to, 153–55

332

Index

functional magnetic resonance imaging

manipulation and, xi, 104–5

(f MRI), 26, 55

mistaking psychopathic traits for leadership, xi, 193–99

Gacy, John, 118

perceiving “potential” skills and, 105

genetic continuity, 47–48

Pit Bull (Helen) case study, 8, 9

goals, lacking, 57–58, 96

reasons for, xi–xiii

grandiosity

résumé lies and, 57, 100, 104, 211–13, 214

condescension and, 48

suspicious test scores case, 208

narcissism and, 40–41, 178

typical pattern, 103–6

Pit Bull (Helen) case study, 12–13

histrionic personality disorder, 40, 41, 178

superiority, entitlement and, 48

Hogan, Robert T., 195

greed, ix–x

Homolka, Karla, 226–27

grifters, 276

Hong Kong policeman impersonator, 188–89

group dynamics

hot buttons, understanding, 273–74

affinity fraud and, 86–87, 90–92

human nature, 37

business organizations, 93–98

Hurricane Katrina, 45

in prisons/psychiatric hospitals, 88–89

guilt/remorse, lack of, 46

immodesty, 255

abandoning victims and, 53

impression management. See also charm

identifying/assessing victims and, 46

masking psychopathic traits, 37–38, 48–50, manipulation and, 50, 52

65–68, 177, 183

Scott Peterson and, 65, 66–67

pawns for, 125–27, 137–38, 139, 235,

286–88

halo effect, 194–95

psychopathic fiction and, 48–50, 120–21

hiding psychopathic traits. See impression recognizing manipulation and, 67–68

management

single vs. multiple targets and, 88

hiring executives, 239–48

social chameleon skills and, 38–39

assessing candidates, 243–44, 245, 246–48

style trumping substance, 196

behavioral concerns. See red flags

threats/coercion/intimidation and, 39

evaluating competencies, 246–48

impulsive psychopaths, 184

executive recruiters for, 241–42

informal power, 44, 122, 128–29, 131–32

internal vs. external candidates, 240–41

initiating structure, 180, 182

job descriptions, 239

interpersonal domain, 26–27

psychopathic-like traits confusing process, intimidation

230–31, 239

failure to report fraud and, 88

succession planning systems, 209, 242–45

manipulation through, 39

hiring practices, 209–39. See also résumés; Pit Bull (Helen) case study, 8–9, 10–13

screening interview 2

irresponsibility. See responsibility, avoiding advertising jobs, 210

behavioral concerns. See red flags

jerks, 318–19

checking backgrounds, 237

job descriptions, 103–4, 210

checking references, 234–37

job interviews. See hiring psychopaths; screening discussing candidates, 229–30

interview 1; screening interview 2

disinformation and, 240

Jones, James, 91

as first line of defense, 209–11

importance of, 209

Kidman, Nicole, 54

job descriptions, 103–4, 210, 239

Knight, Derry Mainwaring, 281–82

previous terminations and, 233

process overview, 209–11

labels, avoiding, 270–71, 301, 312

putting it all together, 238–39

leadership. See also bosses; hiring executives; screening interview 1, 215–16

managing

selection committees, 229–30

behavioral concerns. See red flags

technical positions, 239

charisma and, 91, 92, 123, 194–95

telephone interviews, 215–16

consideration and, 179–80, 182

verifying information, 213, 223, 232–34, continuously improving skills, 314

235

influencing/persuading others and, 195

hiring psychopaths

initiating structure and, 180, 182

avoiding. See hiring practices

mistaking psychopathic traits for, xi, 193–99

charm and, 105

pretenders in, 165–66

Dave case study, 1–4

psychopathic-like traits and, 179–81

decision-time case study, 205–8

strategic planning, 104, 160, 195–96, 247

honesty and, 117–18

style of, study, 179–80

Index

333

lifestyle domain, 27

phases overview, 42

lifetime-persistent aggression, 190

power and. See power/strength

low-utility observers, 127–28

in prisons/psychiatric hospitals, 88–89

loyalty, 299–300

psychopathic fiction and, 48–50, 120–21

“elevator speech” and, 302

psychopathic traits evident in, 45–52, entrepreneurial environment and, 162

53–58, 186–88