Dark Personalities in the Workplace defines dark personalities, their prevalence in the workplace, and how they are best managed. The book brings together research in psychology and business to both profile these employees and impart best practices for businesses to manage them. Chapters explore narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy in a work context. Coverage includes common behaviors such as incivility, negative attitudes, counterproductive behavior and escalating to harassment, bullying, violence, and fraud. Practical advice is given on how to avoid hiring dark personalities, avoid promoting dark personalities, and how to perform investigations and interventions with dark personalities. With a background in forensic psychology and industrial/organizational psychology, Cynthia Mathieu provides a researched understanding to these personalities, case studies to better understand them, and practical tools and applied solutions for dealing with them. - Integrates psychology and business literature on dark personalities - Identifies common personality features and behaviors - Suggests HR protocols to avoid hiring dark personalities - Addresses how to manage and review performance for dark personalities - Explores the importance of leadership and organizational culture - Presents case studies and applied solutions - Provides recommendations for investigations and interventions

This book analyses the conceptualization of psychopathic personality disorder for criminal/forensic populations and examines in depth the emerging phenomenon of the ‘corporate psychopath’. In doing so its authors expose the paradoxical nature of the disorder: while it is frequently associated with antisocial, criminal and predatory behaviour, more recent studies have highlighted examples of creative, visionary and inspiring leaders who are also found to present a high degree of psychopathy. They focus on the nature, behaviours and consequences of psychopathy in executives and across the organization, offering an important contribution to the emerging body of research on psychopathy and other problematic personality constructs in the workplace. The book will appeal to scholars, students and professionals across the discipline, and particularly to those working in workplace, forensic and personality psychology.

There has been a growing interest among scholars in the fields of organizational behaviour and industrial psychology in what can be termed "the dark side of the organizations." A main concept in this regard this is both important and relevant counterproductive work behaviours (CWBs), which can be defined as deliberate actions that harm the organization or its members. These behaviours include a variety of acts that can be directed toward organizations (CWB-O) or toward other people (CWB-P). Destroying organizational property, purposely doing work incorrectly, and taking unauthorized work breaks are examples of CWB-O, whereas hitting a co-worker, insulting others, and shouting at someone are forms of CWB-P. Despite the growing interest in CWBs as a research issue, not enough is known about the determinants of CWBs. The goal of Counterproductive Work Behaviors therefore is to cover this stimulating, important, and innovative issue of dark triad personalities in the workplace. The book will deal with important aspects of this issue, such as the characteristics of dark triad personalities, how they operate and damage organizations, what organizations are more vulnerable to them, ways to diagnose and detect them, and ways to handle dark triad personalities and prevent them from harming organizations and employees. There is no doubt that the issues covered by Counterproductive Work Behaviors will continue to attract academic attention and therefore the book is essential reading for researchers, academics and business professionals alike in the fields of Organizational Studies and Behaviour, Organizational Psychology, Strategy, Human Resource Management, Leadership and the related disciplines.

The Dark Triad of Personality: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy in Everyday Life summarizes the latest research on how these personality traits (psychopathology, narcissism, Machiavellianism) are defined and displayed, while also exploring the impact they have on individuals and society, the relationship between clinical conditions and personality traits, and their adaptivity. The book introduces the Dark Triad through the lens of existing clinical and personality literature, discussing shared and unique cognitive and empathetic profiles associated with each trait. Antisocial, antagonistic, and criminal behaviors associated with the Dark Triad are also covered, as is the way these individuals compete socially and in the workplace. - Reviews the development, measurement and evolutionary origins of these traits - Explores how these traits may be adaptive - Assesses the relationship between clinical conditions and Dark Triad personality traits - Includes sections on manipulation, competition and cooperation

The world abounds with tricksters, swindlers, and impostors. Many of them may well be described with the term Machiavellian. Such individuals disrespect moral principles, deceive their fellow beings, and take advantage of others’ frailty and gullibility. They have a penetrating, rational, and sober mind undisturbed by emotions. At times we cannot help but be enchanted by their talent even though we know they misuse it. Recent studies have revealed that Machiavellians possess a complex set of abilities and motivations. This insightful book examines the complexities of the Machiavellian trait, in relation to attitude, behaviour, and personality. By integrating results and experiences from social, personality, cognitive, and evolutionary psychology, Tamás Bereczkei explores the characteristics of Machiavellianism (such as social intelligence, deception, manipulation, and lack of empathy), and the causes and motives guiding Machiavellian behaviour. The author also demonstrates how Machiavellianism is related to strategic thinking and flexible long-term decisions rather than to a short-term perspective, as previously thought, and explores Machiavellianism in relation to the construct of the Dark Triad. The first comprehensive psychological book on Machiavellianism since Christie and Geis’ pioneering work in 1970, Machiavellianism summarises the most important research findings over the last few decades. This book is fascinating reading for students and researchers of psychology and related courses, as well as professionals dealing with Machiavellians in their work and practice.

A work exposing and exploring the phenomena of the dysfunctional workplace is long overdue. This fascinating book does just that, uncovering the subversiveness, counter-productive behaviour and unspoken issues that managers struggle with on a daily basis. This Companion not only explores organizational dysfunction as it concerns individuals, it also examines broader issues of dysfunction and its effects with regards teams, managers and organizational systems. Lively discussion encompasses the symptoms of distress, illness, absenteeism, and inefficiency that point towards behavioural disorders and system-wide malfunction. From personality disorders to wars over territory , the book chronicles and reveals the true nature of often hidden workplace problems including bullying, unethical behaviour, loss of trust, organizational deviance, cowardice, workaholism, negative humour and emotions, personality disorders, mismanagement, and malfunctioning performance and selection systems. So what can be done? Practical solutions to these dysfunctional phenomena are presented by international experts from a range of disciplinary backgrounds including management, psychology and economics. This fascinating, highly original book will be of enormous interest to students, researchers, academics and practitioners across all sectors of business and management, human resource management in particular.

Studies in Machiavellianism covers the various aspects of Machiavellian personality and characteristics. Traditionally, the "Machiavellian" is someone who views and manipulates others for his own purposes. This 17-chapter text discusses the empirical findings on approved canons of social psychological reporting concerning Machiavellianism. The introductory chapters examine the relationships between Machiavellianism and measures of ability, opinion, and personality, as well as the visual interaction in relation to Machiavellianism and an unethical act. The succeeding chapters discuss the results and implications of the Machiavel study, with a particular emphasis on the measure of success of attempts to manipulate others. Other chapters deal with the results of the Con and Ten Dollar Games along with their interpretation. The remaining chapters discuss the laboratory and field research studies of Machiavellianism, as well as its social correlation. This book will prove useful to social psychologist, behaviorists, historians, and researchers.

One of the New York Post's Top 10 Career Books of 2012 and a Booklist Top 10 Business Book DO YOU WORK WITH A MEAN GIRL? A woman’s field guide to the new frontier of professional development—working with other women Women-to-women relationships in the workplace are . . . complicated. When they’re good, they’re great. But when they’re bad, they can ruin your day, your week—even your year. Packed with proven advice from two of today’s leading experts in workplace relationships, this one-of-a-kind guide gives women the tools they need to navigate difficult situations unique to women-to-women relationships—whether with a boss, a colleague, a client, or an employee. Have you dealt with a woman in the workplace who: “Accidentally” excludes you from important meetings? Seems intent on taking you down professionally? Gossips about you with other coworkers? Makes you look bad by missing deadlines? Forms a “pack” of mean girls to make your life miserable? Mean Girls at Work isn’t just about surviving difficult situations. It’s about transforming a toxic relationship into one that benefits and supports both of you. This book is also for women who engage in mean behavior . . . but don’t know it. After all, who hasn’t gossiped about a female coworker? Who hasn’t rolled her eyes in the presence of a woman she doesn’t like? Who hasn’t scanned another woman head to toe—which is just a nonverbal way of saying, “You’ve just been judged”? The authors provide invaluable advice to the more subtle ways of being mean—even if they’re not intended. With a workforce composed of a higher percentage of women than ever, workplace dynamics have changed. Crowley and Elster cover every conceivable scenario, providing critical advice on how to rise above the fray and move forward professionally. Mean Girls at Work is your map to dodging the mines and moving forward in today’s transformed workplace. Praise for Mean Girls at Work “An invaluable suit of armor for surviving nine to five!” —Leil Lowndes, bestselling author of How to Talk to Anyone “If you think the emotional cruelty of comedies like Mean Girls and Heathers doesn’t exist in the real world workplace, think again. In Mean Girls at Work, Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster valuably chronicle female vs. female predators and offer solid defensive strategies.” —Ann Kreamer, author of It’s Always Personal: Navigating Emotion in the New Workplace “Whether you are in your twenties and just starting your professional career, your midcareer forties, when you are supposed to have figured it out already, or a woman in her fifties or sixties who’s seen it all—this book is a must-read. . . . The authors have finally given women the tools and the sound advice necessary to deal with . . . conflicts that keep us all from succeeding. . . . Carry this book with you to work every day!” —Carolyn Cassin, President, Michigan Women’s Foundation “A must-read for women of all ages in today’s workforce. This book offers what we all need to develop the capacities to endure this ever-changing workplace. We know it is all about relationships and you need the skills outlined in this book to survive and thrive when the Mean Girls attack.” —Kim Harrington, Coordinator, Professional Development and Training, Office of Human Resources, California State University, Sacramento

Volume 14 examines critical topics at the intersection of leadership, stress, and well being including: leaders’ networks, personality and development, workaholism, followership, the role of leaders in helping promote employees’ mental well being and taking a holistic view of a leader’s life at and away from work.

Look around your office. Turn on the TV. Incompetent leadership is everywhere, and there's no denying that most of these leaders are men. In this timely and provocative book, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic asks two powerful questions: Why is it so easy for incompetent men to become leaders? And why is it so hard for competent people--especially competent women--to advance? Marshaling decades of rigorous research, Chamorro-Premuzic points out that although men make up a majority of leaders, they underperform when compared with female leaders. In fact, most organizations equate leadership potential with a handful of destructive personality traits, like overconfidence and narcissism. In other words, these traits may help someone get selected for a leadership role, but they backfire once the person has the job. When competent women--and men who don't fit the stereotype--are unfairly overlooked, we all suffer the consequences. The result is a deeply flawed system that rewards arrogance rather than humility, and loudness rather than wisdom. There is a better way. With clarity and verve, Chamorro-Premuzic shows us what it really takes to lead and how new systems and processes can help us put the right people in charge.