Is your company run by psychopaths?

This blogger asks the question of whether psychopaths are running your corporation.  I actually have wondered how a sociopath would be that much better at climbing the corporate ladder than an empath.  First of all, sociopaths can wear a mask for only so long before there is some sort of slip-up.  Second, some people actually are pretty able to sniff out the machinations and fake charm of a sociopath -- eventually someone might start believing them.  Third, I don't want to say necessarily that sociopaths are inherently lazy, because they are actually capable of a single minded focus that most people are not.  However, sociopaths tend to want to get away with doing as little as possible.  I myself have been fired for that particular character traits, which can become increasingly more obvious the longer you stay at a job.  Finally, there is the boredom.  What sociopath is able to stay at one job for long enough to climb the corporate ladder?  I have never had a job longer than 2-3 years.  I have not even had a profession for longer than 2-3 years, although thankfully for my c.v., I have managed to stay within my general field.  What promise of trappings of wealth or prestige could overome this congenital wanderlust?

The blogger proposes a theory that actually strikes me as being somewhat plausible:


Researchers suggest that these folks are able to rise to the top of companies without being found out because of the chaotic nature of modern corporate structures - especially rapid position-hopping - which makes their behavior almost invisible. They are not in one job long enough for co-workers and superiors to see their problems. In addition, their charm, charisma, and extroverted behavior not only appears normal but ideally suited for today’s global, competitive world.

Boddy also notes that in modern companies it’s relatively easier than in past years to claim success for a project even if you had little to do with it because of all the movement and team participation. “Success could thus be claimed by those with the loudest voice, the most influence and the best political skills. Corporate psychopaths have these skills in abundance and use them with ruthless and calculated efficiency,” he writes.