Just the Tip of the Iceberg
Over the past two decades, a growing body of research and evidence has shown that psychopathic personality can be found in high-functioning populations. Interest in ‘corporate psychopathy’ was largely driven by the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, together with other events such as the collapse of Enron and Bernie Madoff’s multi-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme. Psychopathy, along with other problematic personalities in the workplace, has been linked to unethical behavior, bullying, destructive leadership, large-scale Ponzi schemes, insider trading, mortgage fraud, internet fraud, embezzlement, and intimidation and violence. These events prompted investigations, highly public cases of corporate crime, and closer scrutiny of those responsible for deciding a company’s direction. In turn, this has underlined the importance of organisational recruitment practices, the need for sound human resource management, and the use of threat and risk screening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does corporate psychopathy mean?
Corporate psychopathy describes psychopathic personality traits appearing in high-functioning, professional populations — especially in workplace and leadership roles. As outlined above, interest in the concept grew alongside research into problematic personalities at work and high-profile cases of corporate misconduct.
Why does this matter for hiring and recruitment?
Since problematic personalities in the workplace have been linked to unethical behavior, bullying, destructive leadership, fraud and intimidation, this page stresses the importance of organisational recruitment practices, sound human resource management, and the use of threat and risk screening.
Which workplace risks are tied to problematic personalities?
The risks covered on this page include unethical behavior, bullying, destructive leadership, large-scale Ponzi schemes, insider trading, mortgage fraud, internet fraud, embezzlement, and intimidation and violence. You can find more detail on the Workplace Risks & Threats page.
Where can I read more about these personalities?
The Information section links to dedicated pages on Problematic Personalities, Psychopathic Personalities, and Workplace Risks & Threats.
How do I get in touch?
You can contact the team via the Contact page, or read more About the people behind How To Not Hire A Psychopath.
Understanding how problematic personalities operate at work is the first step toward protecting an organisation. The pages in this section build on that foundation, moving from general information to specific personality types and the workplace risks and threats they can create.