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Your Company’s CEO Is A Psychopath. Probably.


“My boss is crazy!” We’ve heard that refrain many times. Little did we know how true it actually is.

Yep. CEOs are four times more likely to be psychopaths than the rest of the population.

Forbes has an interview with researcher Jon Ronson who just penned a new book studying psychopathy, in which it’s revealed that 4 percent of CEOs are psychopaths, while only 1 percent of the population exhibit these abnormal, antisocial behaviors. That means one in every 25 CEOs is a psychopath!

According to Ronson, these psychopath CEOs “lack the things that make you human: Empathy, remorse, loving kindness.”

Yikes. This might help you rationalize that latest layoff or your groan-worthy hours put in place by a psycho CEO, but it’s also pretty terrifying. How could it be that psychopaths are potentially good leaders? Ronson explains that although not all psychopathic characteristics would serve a CEO well, many of them actually would:

“You don’t want poor behavioral controls. It’d be better if you don’t have promiscuous behavior. It’d be better if you don’t have serious behavioral problems in childhood, because that will eventually come out. But you do want lack of empathy, lack of remorse, glibness, superficial charm, manipulativeness. I think the other positive traits for psychopaths in business is need for stimulation, proneness to boredom. You want somebody who can’t sit still, who’s constantly thinking about how to better things.”

Lack of empathy, manipulative behavior, superficial charm? If you put it that way, it does kind of sound like a lot of corporate execs!

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  • Rubymaurine

    You are describing my Dear Husband of 21 years…he is a Narcissist due to childhood emotional and mental abuse and neglect from his mother and distant emotions from his father…tough to live with, for sure…but he is a Great commedian due to his need for constant attention and approval from everyone…especially from women…Sigh!

  • Anonymous

    tinyurl.com/2a7usxg

  • http://twitter.com/Parcbench Parcbench

    I have to remind myself that the next time I’m dining with Dan Abrams!

  • Weebluemoth

    Psychopaths can also be narcissists who are also ruthless egotists with unreasonable demands/expectations.  Meet the typical, driven CEO.  And, yes, they are manipulative and “charming” womanizers.  Doesn’t this remind us of recently embarrassing antics by some national politicians?  

    But why the backhanded swipe at Abrams?  Confidence and competence don’t necessarily make someone a psycho.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WPGR6IL4GSNNRZCVFZWMD6JDNE MB

    They needed a study to figure this out? 1 out of 25 stat may be true for CEO’s, but just ask a random sample of people and I think you will find pyscho bosses is infinitely larger, because they left out the entire middle management sector. Those that kiss the ass of the pycho above them, at the expense of those who are unfortunate to work under them. Pyscho’s in training.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Glenda-Berg/1337232548 Glenda Berg

    Recent research suggests that psychopathic characteristics stem from a lack of neurological “arousal” in the brain necessitating artificial stimulation (e.g., risk-taking) in order to FEEL something.   In addition, their vaunted lack of empathy would be a prized possession in the Corporate world, which is known to foster aggressive competition and rewards only the winner.   And yes, needs are never sated and the drive to manipulate, outdo and win over others is never enough. 

  • NotoriousRoscoe

    Vastly underestimated.

  • NotoriousRoscoe

    Being a psychopath is not the same as being psychotic, and psychopathy under control is not mental illness.  Psychopaths often rise to the highest positions in their chosen professions, and they have been pivotal individuals in human history.  Congratulations to you for your ability to love, tolerate, and even admire your husband.  Just wondering, is your husband left handed?  Left handedness is more prevalent in the psychopathic population than in the general population.

  • Boilermakers80

    Learning about psychopaths a few yrs back , put the picture all together, wondered why babcock and wilcox company erectors had no problem with men going into oil refinery with no personnal protection.  now have my answer. erector stole the bid money for that end of it. AT BEESLEYS POINT NJ ATLANTIC ELECTRIC PLANT  we burn rubber tires with coal , would you tear apart the boiler with no protection , well thats what william duffy boilermaker general  foreman  from 436 first st rd  hammonton nj did to 22 men . most dead or sick from this bid rigger, FBI knows but no action yet.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1101712036 Elisa Vote Dem Velez

    You’re a RWNJ bigoted psycho PRETENDING to be the 1st guy who posted. Do your country a solid & drop dead loser. You’re an embarrassment to everyone.

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