An expert has unlocked the science behind how to tell if your boss is just a ‘dark leader’ or secretly a full-blown psychopath.
This comes as one scientist shared insight into the ‘dark side’ of human personality.
Professor Elena Fernández-del-Río, who is from the University of Zaragoza in Spain, has explained that there are a few easy ways to spot if your employer exhibits dark personality traits.
In a report published in the International Encyclopedia of Business Management, the expert explained: “The ‘dark side’ of human personality, as a whole, refers to a disposition to ethically, morally and socially questionable behaviors.
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“Each of these dark traits is characterized by singular features such as grandiosity in narcissism, alliance–building and manipulation in Machiavellianism, self–control deficit in psychopathy, and enjoyment of cruelty in sadism.”
So, how does this apply to horrible bosses? It turns out that leaders who have a dark personality tend to appear in their social interactions as being ‘insensitive, manipulative, excessively demanding, authoritarian, too self–sufficient, distant, critical, arrogant or with an exaggerated desire to please’.
Bosses who are narcissists tend to display arrogance, excessive self-love and grandiosity, according to the paper, while those who have Machiavellianism are often very competitive and strategic manipulators.
Sadists are people who enjoy inflicting cruelty onto others and like to exercise their control over others.
The paper concluded by saying: “We concluded with some suggestions and recommendations about the need to consider these personality profiles in human resources management from a personnel selection process until a change of job position, when our employees possess these dark personality traits.”
Professor Fernández-del-Río went on to state: “Some studies have confirmed the relationship between dark personality and abusive practices by supervisors, especially when they possess Machiavellian or psychopathic traits.
“In the case of psychopaths and sadists, we should be careful if they occupy a job position of authority over other people.”
She added: “Faking, in order to be viewed favourably, seems to be frequent in applicants presenting dark personality traits.
“In addition, potential victims should be encouraged to report any workplace abusive behavior that guarantees their anonymity from possible reprisal.”
A previous study reported on by the Guardian found that a whopping one in 25 business leaders could be a psychopath.
The report was conducted by New York psychologist Paul Babiak and appears to suggest that these bosses are able to disguise their real traits by ‘hiding behind their high status, playing up their charm and by manipulating others’.