Dangerously attractive personalities – Dark Triad at work

Füzes Nóra | psychologist, junior consultant

Füzes Nóra | psychologist, junior consultant

Psychopathic, narcissistic, machiavellian. We probably immediately imagine a figure wielding an axe, mercilessly decimating his surroundings, but the bad news is that this is not the case. The dark and ruthless members of the Dark Triad (or Dark Three) are not just on the big screen, but in our everyday lives. Very often, they sit behind their desks in important and significant positions. All the while, employees, like good soldiers, wear and tear, carry out the most insubordinate orders of ‘their leaders’. Let’s see how we can recognise them.

Psychopath – The one who gets the “most” of everything

Three key characteristics of psychopaths to remember:
– They do not like (!),
– does not feel anxious (!),
– does not learn from experience(!).

Whatever you do, the psychopathic person will not change permanently. He feels neither empathy nor remorse, so there is no reason to reconsider his actions. It also follows that he can really do anything by any means. He feels himself elevated to the highest positions and the most illustrious persons while there is no limit to his grandiosity. This is especially true when it can bring power, monetary gain and/or fame.

No, I am not saying that all famous, powerful and rich people are psychopaths. But it does seem to be the case that among them there is a significantly higher incidence of the personality traits characteristic of psychopathy. Of course, a more severe trait does not describe the whole personality and the diagnosis should be left to a psychiatric specialist anyway.

Another important term to note is psychopathic charm.

Superficial charm is nothing more than a key means of getting ahead, with the aim of undisguised manipulation. It is what makes us swoon and feel privileged that “this great man” has even spoken to us. However, after the psychopathic person has been seduced, persuaded and promoted, it is worth looking at what is left around them. They are frayed, misguided and even blame themselves for it all.

Narcissist – Who just wants your admiration

This phrase has become trite, as we hear daily “That Jossi is such a narcissist!”. But now let’s look at what it really means. The most important characteristic of a narcissistic person is that, despite the emptiness within him, he craves admiration. We often hear about his own “exploits”, which are sometimes true, sometimes fictitious, but always designed to arouse admiration. He is able to charm those around him, even if they sense the strange falsity of his frequent success stories. However, the mask of wonder fades in the blink of an eye if the person receives the slightest criticism, often followed by unexpected aggression, ignorance or cruel sanctions. 

Machiavellian – The cruel chameleon

The least well known of the three personality types, Machiavellianism is a personality based on the exploitation of others, with characteristics such as low conscientiousness and responsibility, quick adaptability and high neuroticism. All this is also necessary to be able to react quickly to events in the environment, making the most of them. In contrast to the psychopathic person, the Machiavellian also displays intense reactions, imbued with high distress, while remaining detached from the emotional content of events. This detachment helps him to remain calm and rational even in emotionally stressful or painful situations. With little or no ability to build trust, any relationship can be sacrificed for the sake of good business. Their manipulation and coldness are a well-tested means of their success and long-term survival.

But a successful company…

We are put in a difficult position by the fact that the “representatives” of the Dark Triad often make businesses and companies successful. While society clearly and very harshly criticises these toxic traits, in an organisational context they are often financially and promotionally beneficial. This is particularly true when the work is typically rational and unemotional.

Although at first glance there appears to be a lot of overlap between the 3 types, it is relatively rare for them to appear together. Different jobs and specialisations require different strengths, such as quick decision making (narcissism), unemotional problem solving (Machiavellianism) and persuasion (psychopathy).

However, there are some common traits in these charming yet manipulative personalities with a sense of empowerment, which can elevate you in the short term and then gradually strip away everything that makes you feel valuable. Such common traits include low levels of friendliness and empathy, emotional coldness, malice and an increased tendency to manipulate others. With more than 3-4% of our leaders being psychopaths and other dark personalities, it is particularly important to recognise and identify them, giving ourselves a chance to get out of the situation.

What can be done?

The question rightly arises, “Okay, my boss is a psychopath. What do I do now? I can’t quit, I have to pay my bills from something/ I can’t let the company down”. It seems that mass resignations rarely, if ever, occur, even though countless bosses and managers have some damaging trait of the Dark Triad. Despite the visible deterioration in mental health and the gross overstepping of healthy human boundaries, the gradual erosion of self-confidence has led more people to choose to stay than to run. Is there really no other choice?

I don’t know anyone’s story, but what is certainly worth considering is the price we pay for the job. If we feel unappreciated, hurt, looked down upon and
and overworked to the extreme, remind ourselves that

THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY QUIT AT ANY TIME, FROM ANYWHERE.

If we don’t respect our own boundaries, if we allow ourselves to be treated in ways we don’t deserve, then in time there will be no way out of the situation other than some “greater evil.” Say, a more severe illness that unconsciously allows us to stay away. It’s not worth waiting, is it?…

Sources:
– Ujhelyi, M. (2017). The emergence of the dark triad among university students.
– Gabriella, P. (2020). Similarities and differences between the members of the Dark Triad
personality, stress perception and strategic decisions.
– Szilágyi, K (2018). Always one step ahead. The Machiavellian personality. Budapest, Mindset Psychology
– Kazimir,Á. (2020). Is your leader a psychopath? Could be. Budapest,
WMN.https://wmn.hu/wmn-life/52261-a-vezetod-egy-pszichopata-siman-lehet