Psychopaths In Positions Of Power And Influence: [The Dark Side Of Leadership]

The link between psychopathy and power is a concerning topic for psychologists, sociologists, and the public.

Though leaders often display charisma, intelligence, and strategic thinking, a darker side emerges when psychopathic traits take precedence.

The article explores the complex link between psychopathy and leadership, analyzing traits, impact, and consequences of psychopaths in power.

Related: Type A Personality Characteristics

Jump To Section

“Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we’re being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I’m liable to be put away as insane for expressing that.

That’s what’s insane about it.”
– John Lennon

Psychopaths In Positions of Power

There was a time when the “cream” rose to the top regarding critical societal positions, but this is no longer true. Now, the “scum” has risen to the top in positions of power.

It appears that this “scum” has worked its way to power in all aspects of power and authority, from positions of power in the corporate world to the political world, advertising, and even the private sector.

A psychopath is an excellent actor. To survive, they can simulate and pretend to be like normal human beings. They tend to gravitate to positions of power, put on a mask, and try to “act” like humans.

The psychopath’s Mask of Sanity is critical to understand because it gives him the cover to roam freely in our society, like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Realizing early on in life that he’s different from the rest, the psychopath learns to mimic emotional states and expressions without feeling them himself one bit.

Without any internal conflict of guilt, remorse, or shame, the psychopath manipulates the people around him. He can tell you precisely what you want to hear and appear compassionate, and the good ones have a very convincing mask that is hard to see through.

It takes time and a lot of observation. Psychopaths can be very intelligent with a high IQ. They can write scholarly works and imitate the words of emotion, but it becomes clear that their words do not match their actions over time.

“The eyes of a psychopath will deceive you; they will destroy you. They will take from you, your innocence, your pride and eventually your soul.

These eyes do not see what you and I can see. Behind these eyes, one finds only blackness, the absence of light. These are of a psychopath.”
― Dr. Samuel Loomis

What Is Psychopathy?

Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by enduring antisocial behavior, diminished empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited traits.

Psychopaths often possess a superficial charm, excellent manipulation skills, and an ability to disguise their true nature behind a charismatic facade.

While not inherently detrimental, these traits can become toxic when combined with positions of power and influence.

Related: Lone Wolf Personality

Psychopaths in Positions of Power and Influence

Traits of Psychopathic Leaders

Lack of Empathy: Psychopathic leaders often display a profound lack of empathy, making decisions without considering the impact on others. This can result in ruthless decision-making and a disregard for the well-being of those affected.
Manipulative Behavior: Psychopaths excel at manipulation, using charm and persuasion to achieve their goals. In leadership positions, this manipulation may extend to exploiting individuals and resources for personal gain.
Grandiosity: A sense of grandiosity is a common trait among psychopathic leaders, leading them to believe they are above the rules and entitled to special treatment. This can foster a culture of arrogance and entitlement within an organization.
Impulsivity: Psychopathic leaders may exhibit impulsive behavior, making decisions without considering the consequences. This impulsivity can lead to reckless actions that negatively impact the organization and its stakeholders.

Impact on Organizations

The presence of psychopaths in positions of power can have far-reaching consequences for organizations and the individuals within them.

The toxic leadership style can result in high turnover rates, decreased employee morale, and a hostile work environment.

Psychopathic leaders may prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability, leading to financial instability and reputational damage.

What Brain Type Are Psychopaths?

Neuroimaging studies have identified certain patterns in the brains of individuals with psychopathy. Still, it’s crucial to note that these findings are not exclusive to psychopaths and may not be present in all individuals with psychopathic traits.

Some key findings include

Amygdala Dysfunction: The amygdala, a region associated with processing emotions, is often implicated in psychopathy. Reduced activity in the amygdala may contribute to a lack of emotional responsiveness and empathy.
Prefrontal Cortex Abnormalities: The prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and impulse control, may exhibit structural and functional abnormalities in individuals with psychopathy.
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Dysfunction: This area is involved in moral decision-making. Dysfunction in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex may contribute to impaired moral reasoning and a lack of conscience.
Striatal Dysfunction: The striatum, associated with reward processing, may show differences in individuals with psychopathy, potentially contributing to their impulsive and reward-seeking behavior.

Identifying Psychopathic Leaders

Identifying psychopathic leaders can be challenging due to their ability to mask their true nature. However, certain red flags may indicate the presence of psychopathy:

Superficial Charm: Psychopathic leaders often exhibit a charming demeanor that can be misleading.
Lack of Empathy: An inability to understand or connect with the emotions of others is a key indicator.
Manipulative Behavior: Constant manipulation of individuals and situations for personal gain is a clear sign.
Reckless Decision-Making: Impulsive decision-making without regard for consequences may signal psychopathy.

What working with psychopaths taught me about leadership | Nashater Deu Solheim | TEDxStavanger

Addressing the Issue of Psychopathy

Organizations must take proactive measures to identify and address psychopathic behavior in leadership positions.

This includes implementing thorough vetting processes during the hiring and promotion stages, promoting a culture of transparency and accountability, and providing training on recognizing and mitigating the impact of psychopathic leaders.

The Difference Between Sociopaths and Psychopaths

Dr. Hare also addresses the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath:

“For most people, the confusion and uncertainty surrounding this subject begin with the word psychopathy itself. Literally, it means “mental illness” (from psyche, “mind”; and pathos, “disease,” and this is the meaning of the term still found in some dictionaries.

The confusion is compounded by the media use of the term as the equivalent of “insane” or “crazy.”

Most clinicians and researchers don’t use the term this way; they know that psychopathy cannot be understood in terms of traditional views of mental illness.

Psychopaths are not disoriented or out of touch with reality, nor do they experience the delusions, hallucinations, or intense subjective distress that characterize most other mental disorders.

Unlike psychotic individuals, psychopaths are rational and aware of their actions and why. Their behavior is the result of choice, freely exercised.

Psychopath Traits

>Superficial charm and average intelligence.
>Absence of nervousness or neurotic manifestations.
>Unreliability.
>Disregard laws and rules.
>Disregard the rights of other individuals.
>Untruthfulness and insincerity.
>Psychopaths make an excellent first impression on others and often strike observers as remarkably normal.
>Lack of remorse or shame.
>Insanely fearless
>Antisocial behavior without apparent remorse.
>Poor judgment and failure to learn from experience.
>Pathological egocentricity and incapacity to love.
>Specific loss of insight
>Radically self-centered
>Unresponsiveness in general interpersonal relations.
>Slick, lying, manipulative, ruthless, and cruel.
>Fantastic and uninviting behavior with drink and sometimes without.
>Doesn’t look at the long-term consequences of their actions.
>Good actors.
>Rationalize their harmful behavior.
>Willful denial of the truth.
>Pathological liars.
>Can learn how to fake normal human emotions by observing others.
>Sex life is impersonal, trivial, and poorly integrated.
>Failure to follow any life plan.
> A psychopath will put on what professionals call a “mask” of likable and pleasant normality. For example, psychopaths may do good deeds to gain their victim’s trust.
> Psychopaths will often believe they are more intelligent or powerful than they are.
>Psychopaths often do well with money, business, and career because they will do whatever it takes without remorse or guilt.
> Stillness, quiet, and reflection are not things embraced by psychopaths. They need constant entertainment and activity.
>Strong belief that they will never be brought to justice for their criminal behavior.
> A psychopath will tell all sorts of lies, little white lies, as well as tremendous stories intended to mislead.
> An absence of any guilt or remorse is a sign of psychopathy. Psychopaths cannot feel guilty.
> Studies show that psychopaths do not respond emotionally to concepts that elicit positive or negative emotions in others. They demonstrate atypical emotional reactions to deaths, injuries, or other events that cause a deep negative response in others.
> Psychopaths are identified as cunning and able to get people to do things they might not usually do. They can use guilt, force, and other methods to manipulate.
> Psychopaths are callous and cannot naturally relate to non-psychopaths.
> Psychopaths are often parasitic, meaning they live off other people. They will use others to gain power and resources and quickly and easily enter their lives.
>Psychopaths are impulsive and irresponsible.
> A psychopath will never admit to being wrong or owning up to mistakes and errors in judgment.
> Psychopaths tend to exhibit delinquent behaviors in their youth, including aggressive behaviors toward others.
> Psychopaths may commit many types of offenses, and while they might sometimes get caught, the ability to be flexible and get away with committing crimes is an indicator.
> Lawyers are the second most “psychopathic” profession in the world after CEOs, according to Kevin Dutton’s book The Wisdom of Psychopaths
> Psychopaths tend to talk a lot.
>Psychopaths tend to have enormous egos, an incredible sense of entitlement, and an overinflated sense of self-worth and importance.

There are different degrees of psychopathic behavior and other types, including the ‘sexual’ psychopath and the ‘work’ psychopath. Most studies indicate no conventional methods available that cure psychopathic behavior.

On the contrary, when traditional methods have been used, the psychopath becomes empowered and reacts by improving their cunning, manipulative ways, and ability to conceal their natural personality, even from trained eyes.

Since a psychopath has no real emotions, they develop their personality throughout their lives by mimicking them. Their inability to control the inappropriate outbursts of anger and hostility often results in the loss of jobs, disassociation with friends and family, and divorce.

The psychopath filters this in itself into a justification process for more aggressive behavior. They fail to accept the consequences because of their inability to gauge when their actions are perceived as dishonest, deceitful, or dangerous.

They believe they can outwit those who pursue them and will never be caught. Once caught, they believe they will find a way back out.

Related Article: INFJ Traits

What Leadership Positions Are Psychopaths In?

Psychopaths can be found in various leadership positions across different sectors.

Their ability to manipulate, lack of empathy, and charm can propel them into roles where power and influence are significant. Common positions include:

Corporate Executives: Psychopaths may excel in corporate environments where strategic decision-making, competitiveness, and charisma are valued.
Politicians: The political arena, with its emphasis on persuasion and power, can attract individuals with psychopathic traits seeking high-profile positions.
Law Enforcement: Some psychopaths are drawn to law enforcement due to the authority and control it offers.
Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurship’s dynamic and often chaotic nature may appeal to psychopaths who thrive in high-risk, high-reward situations.
Media and Entertainment: Psychopaths may pursue leadership roles in media or entertainment, leveraging their charisma for personal gain.
Healthcare Administration: Psychopaths may rise to leadership roles requiring tough decision-making.

Lawyer
Salesperson
Surgeon
Journalist
Police officer
Clergyperson
Chef
Civil servant

Psychopath Behavior

Psychopaths are individuals who demonstrate risky behavior and the inability to follow social norms. They exhibit extreme temperaments, ranging from fearlessness to impulsivity.

Apart from suffering from an antisocial personality disorder, psychopaths are delusional. Conscience and empathy are some of the typical traits they lack.

Nature (genetics) is one of the strongest predisposing factors of psychopathy. According to David Lykken, a behavioral geneticist, psychopaths feature brains with physiological defects.

Based on his studies, the part responsible for emotion and impulse control is underdeveloped in psychopaths.

On the other hand, additional research also shows that psychopaths demonstrate low-state autonomic nervous systems. They cannot show emotion and cannot feel what other individuals feel.

4 Types Of Psychopaths:

Primary Psychopaths are immune to disapproval, punishment, stress, or apprehension. Incapable of experiencing any emotion, primary psychopaths do not have a clear plan in life.
Secondary Psychopaths– Known as risk-takers, secondary psychopaths react to stress. They often worry and waddle in guilt. Despite this, they thrive in living a life of temptation and adventure.
Distempered Psychopaths – These individuals often burst into a fit more easily than other psychopaths. They have strong sexual urges, apparent in their habits of illegal indulgence and drug addiction, among many others. They love the ‘high’ associated with risky activities.
Charismatic Psychopaths – True to their name, these psychopaths are very appealing and attractive. Somehow gifted, they use their talents to manipulate other individuals. Viewed as irresistible, charismatic psychopaths often take the form of dangerous cult leaders.

Conclusion

The intersection of psychopathy and leadership is a complex and often overlooked aspect of organizational dynamics.

Recognizing the signs and understanding the potential consequences of psychopathic leaders is crucial for maintaining healthy, productive, and ethical work environments.

By fostering awareness and implementing preventive measures, organizations can mitigate the impact of psychopathy in positions of power and influence, ultimately promoting a more sustainable and ethical approach to leadership.

Read Next: Ultimate Leadership Program by Keith Ferrazzi