Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work by Robert D. Hare, Paul Babiak Page B
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their clever manipulations.
Let’s look at some strategies and tactics used as part of a three-phase process by many psychopaths. Note that this process is a natural outgrowth of their personality and that often it will be more automatic than consciously planned out. First, they assess the value of individuals to their needs, and identify their psychological strengths and weaknesses. Second, they manipulate the individuals (now potential victims) by feeding them carefully crafted messages, while constantly using feedback from them to build and maintain control. Not only is this an effective approach to take with most people, it also allows psychopaths to talk their way around and out of any difficulty quickly and effectively if confronted or challenged.
Third, they leave the drained and bewildered victims when they are bored or otherwise through with them.
Within this broad framework, several factors come into play.
Here is a more detailed explanation.
When Bad Is Good:
A d o p t i n g t h e P s y c h o p a t h i c L i f e s t y l e The attitudes and behaviors of individuals with many psychopathic features are systemic, a natural and pervasive part of their general lifestyle. In a sense, they are what they are. However, there are others whose nature is less psychopathic than prag-What You See May Not Be What You See 43
matic; they adopt some of the trappings of a “psychopathic lifestyle” in order to succeed or excel at their work or profession.
They are encouraged in this process by all sorts of pop-psych self-help books that promote a philosophy of aggressive greed, self-entitlement, and “looking out for number one.”
In his book What Would Machiavelli Do? , Stanley Bing, perhaps tongue in cheek, tells how to get what you want when you want it whether you deserve it or not. Without fear. Without emotion. Without finger-wagging morality. The following are some of his exhortations:
• Be coldhearted: Replace decency and thoughtfulness with insensitivity and hardheartedness.
• Work hard to become bad: Most people aren’t naturally hor-rendous . . . but with work we can improve.
• Be narcissistic: View others solely as a function of your needs . . . You have enormous selfishness within you . . . Let it out.
• Be unpredictable: Very nice. Very mean. Big, big swings. Gi-gantic pleasure. Towering rage.
• Be ruthless: For your competitors and those who would bring you down, “ Crush them. Hear their bones break, their wind-pipes snap.”
Of course, the more psychopathic one is, the easier it is to follow Bing’s road map to amoral personal and corporate success.
For most of us, though, social brutality and predation are somewhat more difficult. Even if Bing’s book is viewed as a satire, it reads like a blueprint for a psychopath.
ASSESSMENT PHASE
The chance to con and manipulate others is a primary motivator for someone with a psychopathic personality disorder; psychopaths like to 44
S N A K E S I N S U I T S
play games with people. They often are on the lookout for individuals to swindle or scam, and this first phase of the psychopathic approach involves identifying and assessing targets or prey. Some psychopaths are opportunistic, aggressive predators who will take advantage of almost anyone they meet, while others are more patient, waiting for the perfect, innocent victim to cross their path. In each case, the psychopath is constantly sizing up the potential usefulness of an individual as a source of money, power, sex, or influence. People who have power, celebrity, or high social status are particularly attractive.
In the business world, it is relatively easy to spot those in power—big offices and fancy titles are obvious ways to help us identify who’s who in an organization. But do not think that just because you don’t have a big office or fancy title that you lack power or assets that a psychopath might find useful. Are you a secretary who controls access to your boss and his or
Let’s look at some strategies and tactics used as part of a three-phase process by many psychopaths. Note that this process is a natural outgrowth of their personality and that often it will be more automatic than consciously planned out. First, they assess the value of individuals to their needs, and identify their psychological strengths and weaknesses. Second, they manipulate the individuals (now potential victims) by feeding them carefully crafted messages, while constantly using feedback from them to build and maintain control. Not only is this an effective approach to take with most people, it also allows psychopaths to talk their way around and out of any difficulty quickly and effectively if confronted or challenged.
Third, they leave the drained and bewildered victims when they are bored or otherwise through with them.
Within this broad framework, several factors come into play.
Here is a more detailed explanation.
When Bad Is Good:
A d o p t i n g t h e P s y c h o p a t h i c L i f e s t y l e The attitudes and behaviors of individuals with many psychopathic features are systemic, a natural and pervasive part of their general lifestyle. In a sense, they are what they are. However, there are others whose nature is less psychopathic than prag-What You See May Not Be What You See 43
matic; they adopt some of the trappings of a “psychopathic lifestyle” in order to succeed or excel at their work or profession.
They are encouraged in this process by all sorts of pop-psych self-help books that promote a philosophy of aggressive greed, self-entitlement, and “looking out for number one.”
In his book What Would Machiavelli Do? , Stanley Bing, perhaps tongue in cheek, tells how to get what you want when you want it whether you deserve it or not. Without fear. Without emotion. Without finger-wagging morality. The following are some of his exhortations:
• Be coldhearted: Replace decency and thoughtfulness with insensitivity and hardheartedness.
• Work hard to become bad: Most people aren’t naturally hor-rendous . . . but with work we can improve.
• Be narcissistic: View others solely as a function of your needs . . . You have enormous selfishness within you . . . Let it out.
• Be unpredictable: Very nice. Very mean. Big, big swings. Gi-gantic pleasure. Towering rage.
• Be ruthless: For your competitors and those who would bring you down, “ Crush them. Hear their bones break, their wind-pipes snap.”
Of course, the more psychopathic one is, the easier it is to follow Bing’s road map to amoral personal and corporate success.
For most of us, though, social brutality and predation are somewhat more difficult. Even if Bing’s book is viewed as a satire, it reads like a blueprint for a psychopath.
ASSESSMENT PHASE
The chance to con and manipulate others is a primary motivator for someone with a psychopathic personality disorder; psychopaths like to 44
S N A K E S I N S U I T S
play games with people. They often are on the lookout for individuals to swindle or scam, and this first phase of the psychopathic approach involves identifying and assessing targets or prey. Some psychopaths are opportunistic, aggressive predators who will take advantage of almost anyone they meet, while others are more patient, waiting for the perfect, innocent victim to cross their path. In each case, the psychopath is constantly sizing up the potential usefulness of an individual as a source of money, power, sex, or influence. People who have power, celebrity, or high social status are particularly attractive.
In the business world, it is relatively easy to spot those in power—big offices and fancy titles are obvious ways to help us identify who’s who in an organization. But do not think that just because you don’t have a big office or fancy title that you lack power or assets that a psychopath might find useful. Are you a secretary who controls access to your boss and his or
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