Psychology

Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work

Name: Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work
Rating: 4.8 (1000 reviews)
Author: Paul Babiak, Ph.D., and Robert D. Hare, Ph.D.

Paul Babiak, Ph.D., and Robert D. Hare, Ph.D.

24 minAudio8 insights

What you'll learn

•The defining traits and behaviors of psychopathy and how they differ from related disorders.
•How corporate psychopaths infiltrate and manipulate organizational structures.
•The three-phase process of psychopathic manipulation: assessment, manipulation, and abandonment.
•The impact of psychopathic behavior on teams, resources, and workplace culture.
•Practical strategies for detecting, preventing, and managing psychopathic individuals in the workplace.
•The psychological and emotional toll on victims of psychopathic manipulation.
•How to protect yourself personally and professionally from corporate psychopaths.

Who should read this

✓Corporate leaders and HR professionals
✓Employees seeking to understand workplace dynamics
✓Psychology students and practitioners
✓Individuals interested in personality disorders

About this book

A revealing exploration of how corporate psychopaths manipulate workplaces and strategies to detect and defend against them.

Did You Know?

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Psychopaths make up about 1% of the general population but are responsible for a disproportionate amount of serious crime and organizational harm.

2 more facts available in the app

Audio Summary

Section 1

The Hidden Face of Psychopathy: Beyond the Mask

3:45

8 Sections

Preview: The Hidden Face of Psychopathy: Beyond the Mask

Imagine walking into a room and meeting someone who seems like the perfect professional: charming, articulate, confident. Yet beneath this polished surface lies a personality that is profoundly disconnected from the emotions and empathy we take for granted. This is the hidden face of the corporate psychopath, a figure who wears a mask of sanity, as described in classic psychological studies. Unlike the violent criminals often depicted in media, these individuals blend seamlessly into society, sometimes rising to positions of power and influence.

Psychopathy is not a mental illness in the traditional sense but a personality disorder characterized by a constellation of traits: superficial charm, egocentricity, manipulativeness, and a profound lack of empathy and remorse. These traits create a chilling emotional void, allowing psychopaths to act without the moral brakes that guide most people.

One of the key tools for identifying psychopathy is the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), a 20-item clinical rating scale that assesses interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, and antisocial traits. This tool has revolutionized research and diagnosis, providing a reliable way to distinguish psychopaths from others.

Understanding psychopathy requires us to look beyond stereotypes. It is not about madness or visible antisocial behavior alone but about a hidden, calculated way of interacting with the world. These individuals can be found in boardrooms, offices, and social circles, often unnoticed because of their skillful impression management.

As we begin this journey, keep in mind that psychopathy is a spectrum. Most people have few or none of these traits, while a small percentage carry a heavy dose, making them true psychopaths. The implications of this for workplaces and relationships are profound.

In the next section, we will explore how these individuals navigate the corporate world, using their unique traits to infiltrate and manipulate organizations to their advantage.