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Enemy at the Gates
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We start by briefly summarizing the typical personnel procedures
used by businesses to hire, promote, and manage employees. As we
explain the process, we invite the reader to look for potential weak
spots, cracks, or loopholes in these processes, where a psychopath
might be able to slip through or operate unnoticed. We will also offer
suggestions for closing some of these entry points.
Managing the human assets of an organization is one of the
most challenging functions of the executive, and we suggest that doing
it well is most critical when it comes to identifying and handling
potentially problematic individuals. The human resources department
of any company is responsible for many functions, including
finding and hiring new employees, administering compensation and
benefits issues, managing employee and (where applicable) union relationships,
developing and providing employee orientation and
training programs, administering the performance appraisal process,
and management development. Some larger HR departments also
provide advice and guidance to executives on change management issues,
executive development and coaching, and succession or replacement
planning.
Among the most critical functions, relating to both the handling
of psychopaths and the long-term viability of the business, are hiring
practices and succession planning systems.
Hiring and Selection: The First Line of Defense
The most value-adding HR management function centers on finding,
attracting, and retaining the best performers. The purpose of
any hiring process is to assess the qualifications of candidates and determine
who can best do the work available. Stated another way, the
goal is to find the best match between the abilities of the candidate
and the needs of the business.
The hiring manager with a vacancy to fill, and coworkers who are
filling the gap in the interim, sometimes wonder why it seems to take
a long time to fill a job. The answer lies in the diligence required to