The latest research showed that one in 25 bosses is a psychopath, but hides it with his charm, high status and manipulations in the workplace. Bosses are four times more likely to be psychopaths than the general population, research shows.
Only favorable environmental factors, such as a happy childhood, prevent their psychopathic tendencies from turning them into serial killers.
Psychotic bosses like Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey) in "Horrible Bosses" are all too common.
Psychologists say today's ruthless corporate cultures exploit people like Kevin Spacey in the movie "Horrible Bosses," rewarding their natural insensitivity and disregard for the feelings of others.
The survey was conducted by psychologist Paul Babiak from New York with the aim of finding out how many psychopaths have infiltrated large companies, the Daily Mail reports.
Dr. Babiak says, "Psychopaths really aren't what you think they are. In fact, you can live with someone for 20 years or more without knowing they're a psychopath. We've identified individuals that we might label as 'successful psychopaths.'
He states that part of the problem is that exactly what is required of a leader, a psychopath can easily imitate. He points out that their natural tendency is to be charming, using that charm and learning business language they appear as charismatic leaders.
It is almost impossible to tell the difference between a truly talented team leader and a psychopath
They found that nearly 4 percent of bosses fit the profile, compared to 1 percent in the general population. Bosses in organizations, who are four times more likely to be psychopaths than the general population, built their careers by charming their superiors.
Dr. Babiak states: "These were all individuals who were at the top of organizations - vice presidents, directors - so it was actually quite a shock." The results revealed that psychopaths actually have weak managerial skills, but are skilled at climbing the corporate ladder, to be able to cover up their weaknesses by subtly charming superiors and subordinates. Dr. Babiak emphasizes that it is almost impossible to tell the difference between a truly talented team leader and a psychopath.
Professor Hare says: "The bigger the psychopath, the better they looked - lots of charisma and desirable speech. But if you look at their actual performance and ratings of team ability and productivity, it's bad. You have to know that a psychopath has a large repertoire of behaviors at his disposal. So they can use charm, manipulation, intimidation, whatever they need."
A psychopath can actually put himself in your shoes - intellectually, not emotionally. They can tell you what you're thinking, they can understand your body language, they can listen to what you're saying, but what they really can't do is feel what you're feeling. This allows them to use words, to manipulate and work against you and to communicate with you, without the burden of feeling your pain.
The essential characteristics of psychopathy are a profound lack of empathy, a general insensitivity to other people.
Dr. Babiak also states that these are people without a conscience. "They're thrill seekers, they get bored quickly. What better place to work than a place that's constantly changing. It's the perfect environment for psychopaths," he says.
Brain scans of murderous psychopaths show abnormalities - in the orbital cortex directly above the eyes and in the front part of the temporal lobe where the amygdala is located, where emotional reactions are activated. In psychopaths, these areas are either damaged or unresponsive to emotional stimuli.
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