No matter what you do for a living, there’s a good chance that you’ll come across psychopaths at work. Why? It’s quite simple — we live among millions of psychopaths, and they’re everywhere. These disordered individuals are hiding in plain sight in all demographic groups, communities and walks of life. So yes, you’ll encounter them on the job — perhaps as co-workers, customers, or vendors. Or, in a particularly difficult situation, the psychopath could be your boss.
So how do you spot psychopaths at work? And if you think someone might have the traits, what do you do?
I recently came across this terrific explanation and summary at Observer.com:
This is how to deal with psychopaths and toxic people: Five proven secrets
The article is clear and easy to read. The author, Erik Barker, quotes all the right sources — Robert Hare in Without Conscience, Robert Hare and Paul Babiak in Snakes in Suits, Martha Stout in The Sociopath Next Door, George Simon in In Sheep’s Clothing.
This article is a helpful primer on psychopaths at work. Check it out.
Learn more: Tools for navigating narcissists and other manipulative people
Great article! They sure do exist!