Beware charming, impetuos bosses - aka PSYCHOPATHS!!
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
Thread Starter
Beware charming, impetuos bosses - aka PSYCHOPATHS!!
The Washington Post
So your boss is charming, impetuous, single-minded, and has a bit of a temper. Uh, oh – you might be working for a psychopath.
And you say you’re working for one of those New Age companies in a constant state of flux, with few rules, little supervision, and even less bureaucracy? Uh, oh – you may be working for a company that’s a psycho-magnet!
Industrial psychologist Paul Bablak, and forensic psychologist Robert Hare of the University of British Columbia, claim that psychopathic supervisors are remarkably common in today’s new style work environment..
Their research shows that these volatile types seem particularly drawn to firms where the only rule is there are no rules.
Bablak and Hare are co-authors of “Snakes in Suits; When Psychopaths Go to Work” – due out this year. The book is based , in part, on a test they devised to identify workplace emotional misfits.
The workplace test asks the boss’ boss, colleagues, and subordinates, to rate how well certain phrases describe the supervisor. Descriptions include:
“Comes across as smooth, polished and charming”…
Lies to co-workers, customers, or business associates with a straight face”…
Has created a power network in the organization….
Fakes sincerity with great conviction”.
“There are 3 basic motivations of psychopaths,” Bablak asserts. “They love to play games, they’re thrill-seekers willing to take risks, and they like to hurt people. When you look to see what makes a successful business person, it’s someone willing to take risks, who likes to ‘play the corporate game’ to advance (him/her self) within the company.”
Bablak claims that today’s rolling corporate environments tend to favour the psychopath personality. “The business world has changed. The old dinosaur model of an overly structured bureaucracy with many rules and closed culture doesn’t cut it any more,” he said. “Companies have to be swift, fast, less bureaucratic. This is an open invitation to the individual with psychopathic tendencies.”
Hmm, I can think of a couple of people working in some airlines who MORE than qualify, using the above criteria!!
So your boss is charming, impetuous, single-minded, and has a bit of a temper. Uh, oh – you might be working for a psychopath.
And you say you’re working for one of those New Age companies in a constant state of flux, with few rules, little supervision, and even less bureaucracy? Uh, oh – you may be working for a company that’s a psycho-magnet!
Industrial psychologist Paul Bablak, and forensic psychologist Robert Hare of the University of British Columbia, claim that psychopathic supervisors are remarkably common in today’s new style work environment..
Their research shows that these volatile types seem particularly drawn to firms where the only rule is there are no rules.
Bablak and Hare are co-authors of “Snakes in Suits; When Psychopaths Go to Work” – due out this year. The book is based , in part, on a test they devised to identify workplace emotional misfits.
The workplace test asks the boss’ boss, colleagues, and subordinates, to rate how well certain phrases describe the supervisor. Descriptions include:
“Comes across as smooth, polished and charming”…
Lies to co-workers, customers, or business associates with a straight face”…
Has created a power network in the organization….
Fakes sincerity with great conviction”.
“There are 3 basic motivations of psychopaths,” Bablak asserts. “They love to play games, they’re thrill-seekers willing to take risks, and they like to hurt people. When you look to see what makes a successful business person, it’s someone willing to take risks, who likes to ‘play the corporate game’ to advance (him/her self) within the company.”
Bablak claims that today’s rolling corporate environments tend to favour the psychopath personality. “The business world has changed. The old dinosaur model of an overly structured bureaucracy with many rules and closed culture doesn’t cut it any more,” he said. “Companies have to be swift, fast, less bureaucratic. This is an open invitation to the individual with psychopathic tendencies.”
Hmm, I can think of a couple of people working in some airlines who MORE than qualify, using the above criteria!!
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
Thread Starter
"You can identify with this can't you KM"
Mmmm, having seen you in action, GG, most definitely, YES!!
In fact I think it would be in Disco Stu's best interests to have you employ some staff
Mmmm, having seen you in action, GG, most definitely, YES!!
In fact I think it would be in Disco Stu's best interests to have you employ some staff
I knew lots of psychopaths in my psych. nursing days. Nasty, nasty people they are. 
Why are so many people with antisocial personality disorder in jail?
Because they deserve to be.
Why are so many people with antisocial personality disorder in jail?
Because they deserve to be.
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I flew with a psychopath once. This guy was, however utterly charmless. This owner/cp used to bleat on about 'safety' and the GA industry. He often surrounds himself with young GA kids and tells them about how QF should operate their B747s. Once, this psycho tried to taxi without a clearance(I was flying ICUS). When I placed my feet on the brakes and told him we didn't have a clearance, he screamed "GET YOUR FEET OFF THE F$%^&G BRAKES". I told him I would check with the controller. Again, screamed: "DONT YOU DARE TOUCH THE F$%^&G RADIO". Same nutcase belives that it is ok to decent below LSALT at night in "Moonlit visual conditions" and do GPS arrivals without a current data base(no ops manual approval to do so notwithstanding). Became very abusive (with profanities, in front of pax) when I explained that this was not legal. Went off his dial when I refused to depart immediately behind a Medium category aircraft due to my concerns regarding wake turbulence("KUHNS LIKE YOU, RALPH , ARE F$%^&G THE WHOLE INDUSTRY!!"). Punched his fist into his hand yelling "F...F...F.." because I got one word wrong whilst I was making my 'Welcome abord' PA (All the pax could hear and see this). One day on departure with 2 pax, I was climbing at blue line +10 and 10deg. nose up, he suddenly shoved the yoke forward(at about 30'AGL!) and yelled "10 DEGREES YA KUHNT!!" Aside from pinning 2 pax to the ceiling, we nearly impacted the runway. Ther last straw for me was when he raised his fist as if to punch out a refueller(little old bloke of about 70 years age),( whilst yelling "YOU STUPID F$%^&G OLD C%^T!!" )who had forgotten to re-zero the meter on the fuel truck. When I told him that I was quitting and the reasons(see above) he began to blubber and agreed that he had a problem and that his wife had encouranged him to get help. Also sent another pilot around to my place one day to check and see what was in my fridge..
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Walk the Walk, Tread the Path, Ride the Cycle Path
I have often been described as a psychopath -
but I take solace in the fact that at least it was a path that I chose for myself.
but I take solace in the fact that at least it was a path that I chose for myself.
