Psychopaths as bosses: 10 tips for handling

Ruthless, efficient to the point of dropping, Money- and power hungry - often the guarantor for entry into the executive floor. But what many employees accept as normal may in fact be a mental disorder that is said to affect 10 in XNUMX top executives in the US.

To the choleric in 5 seconds?

He just has Executive invited the employee in with a friendly nod - and suddenly he roared hysterically. He was actually only asked about vacation planning for the coming half-year.

For the staff, however, this is nothing new: substantive discussions bring nothing. They have, therefore, for a long time, arranged themselves with the cheeks of the boss - with avoidance: unpleasant subjects are kept away from Boss as far as possible. This ensures peace of mind. But many important decisions are not taken. Productive work? Wrong!

Troubled bosses are not rare

The books on the subject (advertising)

It is not uncommon for bosses to display psychopathic traits. In a Onlinesurvey asked Australian scientists Anthony Don Erickson, Ben Shaw and Zha Agabe about their experiences with bad bosses. Of the 240 participants, 64 percent said their bosses were lousy despite their Appear nothing happened or they were even promoted.

The American psychologists Paul Babiak and Robert D. Hare, authors of the book "Humblers or Managers: Psychopaths at Work" assume that one in ten top managers in the United States is a psychopath.

definitional problems

Attention: Not everyone who behaves strange or has a misfiring is also a psychopath. Psychopaths are often very charming, amiable, well educated, and conversational. However, they are also good actors who know how to hide their mistakes for a while.

From a strictly scientific point of view, the term “psychopath” is even wrong: Instead, psychologists today speak of sociopathic personalities, of anti-social or dissocial personality disorders, which also occur in stages.

What is normal and what is psychopathic?

Discounts for your success (advertising)!

Because the limits to the normal Behavior can be fluent. What is characteristic of psychopaths is that they actually have no compassion or genuine interest in others People have, but that you only care for yourself and yours Success interested. According to neurological findings, you function Brain apparently different from that of other people.

So writes Dr. Werner Fuchs in a review of "Menschenschinder oder Manager: Psychopaths at work": "As a reader, I would like more clues as to why psychopaths have no conscience. After all, there are interesting answers to this question from emotional psychologists and neuroscientists. And I would also like to know what was the reason why I was able to rein in my own psychopathic potential, what the adverse career person has to do with me and what will become of less career-savvy and clever psychopaths. ”

Whoever is ruthless makes career!

But the fact that these people in particular have so many careers is no coincidence for the researchers: at first glance, they appear courageous and capable of making unpleasant decisions. In fact, other people and negative The consequences simply don't matter. She act enormous confident and convincing of others, but are often just self-important and self-absorbed.

And a goal-oriented approach is also a quality that is well received in professional life at first glance: Such people are often real workhorses, efficient to the point of dropping; Psychopaths are really only interested in succeeding and winning at all costs. And because they have few friends, they spend most of their time in the Office .

Long term a problem for the company

In the long term, however, such bosses are not only for their employees, but also for that Companys a Problem, like management consultant Reinhard Sprenger, author of the book “Mythos Motivation: ways out of a dead end” explains: “Short-term successes are paid for with long-term damage. Because psychopaths in pinstripes are self-optimizers. They never support that Performance others, they only nurture their own talents”.

The result: the working atmosphere improves sustained poisoned and good employees are expelled. Because in the environment of psychopaths only stays voluntarily, who don't Alternatives has. This is exactly what the researchers unanimously advise people who suffer from psychopathic bosses or colleagues: avoid them as much as possible or as much as possible fast seek the distance.

10 Tips: How to deal with psychopathic bosses

Not every bad boss is like a psychopath. Nevertheless, discussing is often little, it is more sensible to reconcile with the quirks of the different types and react accordingly.

1. The choleric: Spontaneous rage for some trifle? Look at the drama as calmly as possible, and wait until the anger is smoky. Little trick: Imagine you are a director watching an actor in the tantrums.
2. The perfectionist: He is always in full swing, always ready for peak performance, and expects that from others too. Again and again gently guide him to the ground of reality, for example, by drawing attention to the mountain of left-over work.
3. The intriguer: With deliberate lies he deliberately plays out the people in his environment and thereby makes a career. Give him little attack and keep away from him.
4. The sadist: He is concerned about power and he wants to exercise it now - at all costs. Stay respectful, but without being intimidated. You should not introduce new ideas as an ellenlanges slime, but to formulate them jaggedly.
5. The narcissist: He is himself the most important person - and no one arrives. Let him believe in being the greatest. Present new ideas so that he believes they originate from him.
6. The user: The user wants to become popular, but then steal ideas and spend as his own - this is his success on the career ladder. It is therefore important to discuss everything in writing and to document each step of the work cleanly.
7. The manipulator: The manipulator is dangerous, because he himself has no sympathy for others, but he knows exactly which buttons he has to push: to have a look at and not play his games is already the best tactics.
8. The charmer: He always sounds very friendly, but firm commitments and binding dates are a horror for him. He slips away from his responsibility and lets the unsightly things take care of someone else. Just listen to his compliments.
9. Mixed forms: Of course, there are gradations and blends, and not every boss with weaknesses is equal to a psychopath.
10. A new job? In the long run, however, a psychopathic boss can cost you your career, but in any case your health. So looking for a new job is probably the better alternative.

Top books on the subject

Read text as PDF

Acquire this text as a PDF (only for own use without passing it on according to Terms and conditions): Please send us one after purchase eMail with the desired title supportberufebilder.de, we will then send the PDF to you immediately. You can also purchase text series.

4,99€Buy

Advice on success, goal achievement or marketing

You have Ask about career, Recruiting, personal development or increasing reach? Our AIAdviser helps you for 5 euros a month – free for book buyers. We offer special ones for other topics IT services

5,00€ / per month   Book

Book eCourse on Demand

Up to 30 lessons with 4 learning tasks each + final lesson as a PDF download. Please send us one after purchase eMail with the desired title supportberufebilder.de. Alternatively, we would be happy to put your course together for you or offer you a personal, regular one eMail-Course - all further information!

29,99€Buy

Skate eBook as desired

If our store does not offer you your desired topic: We will be happy to put together a book according to your wishes and deliver it in a format of yours Choice. Please sign us after purchase supportberufebilder.de

79,99€Buy