It is increasingly becoming apparent that some people with severe personality disorders (narcissistic, psychopathic, paranoid and schizoid) slip through the organisational selection net. The problem is they don’t appear in our midst with ‘trouble’ tattooed on their foreheads, instead they are often rather charming devils who do very well until they fall (and bring everyone else down with them).

How to reduce the chances of appointing a chancer, a megalomanic, an egoist, a drama queen, or an obsessive, to your team

Beware that their failings come disguised as virtuous traits, as they bring almost an excess of a good thing. So the dimensions can look like this.....

1. Work focussed - work alcoholic - obsessive/compulsive
   

2. Team player - dependency on others - can’t make individual decisions
   

3. Action focussed - decisive - rushed, rash and impulsive - dictatorial
   

4. Analytical - paralysed - unable to act
   

5. Integrity - strong values - rigidity/cult leader
   

6. Innovative - enthusiastic/ committed - unrealistic
   

Spotting trouble in your midst:

someone...

1. who is all things to all people
   

2. about whom people hold deeply divided opinions ( seen as saving angel by some and dangerous devil by others)
   

3. wields disproportionate power to status
   

4. can skilfully play individuals, telling them what they want to hear
   

5. has an uncanny ability to make bad things, things that don’t work, and people in their way, disappear ( teflon man / woman)
   

6. lies and cheats with impunity in the service of some greater goal, and
   

7. demonstrates loyalty only to self
   

...just might be displaying strong psychopathic tendencies. As they advance up the organisation and external control and non-deferential feedback lessens, the bigger the mess they can create.

How can you lessen the likelihood of this happening to your organisation

1. Be brave enough to let go of the problem people early
   

2. Select for optimal not maximal qualities
   

3. Do proper biographical tracking history on your top appointments
   

4. Beware of trading off weaknesses for some great strength
   

5. Use 360 degree feedback, and listen to what those of no current ‘use’ to the person have to say. The once seduced now discarded may have a less enamoured view of the charmer.
   

6. Give leaders a stable deputy and make sure they have adequate power to influence, control, veto leadership action i.e. make sure they don’t gain absolute power!
   

7. Offer support to help self-management such as coaches, mentors, therapists
   

( Furnham 2007, The Icarus Syndrome,  People and organisations @ work spring edition, Trickey, Talent, treachery and self destruction paper at ABP conference 2007)

Recommended read: Snakes in Suits Bob Hare

Sarah Lewis and colleagues at Appreciating Change are accredited to use the Hogan suite of personality psychometrics including The Dark Side instrument. Such psychometrics can help identify those at risk of going seriously off the rails!