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Enemy at the Gates
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dence of these outcomes should send up the “red flag” and warrant
further investigation and evaluation.
inability to form a team
The most debilitating characteristic of even the most well-behaved
psychopath is an inability to form a workable team. Noted in narcissistic
and Machiavellian businesspeople as well as psychopaths, the
inability to form a team is a critical factor in career derailment. Psychopaths’
failure as leaders and managers is based on their unwillingness
and inability to collaborate with others, especially those whom
they see as adversaries. Being highly competitive, and in the name of
the “good fight,” they withhold or distort information to the detriment
of the team and ultimately the company. When placed on a
team they will exhibit disruptive tactics and behaviors designed to either
take over the team themselves or disturb the working of others.
Often, they will attempt to derail a team before the first meeting
by challenging the need for the team itself, and will use typical organizational
rationale (for example, “meetings are a waste of time”)
to buttress their disruption, but crafted to sound as if they have the
company’s best interest at heart. Or they may participate in a halfhearted
manner, often showing up late and making a scene when entering,
or leaving in the middle of the meeting to do tasks that are
“more important.” They disrupt the team’s progress by distracting it
from its purpose, criticizing the team, its objectives, and individual
teammates, including “bad-mouthing” to others when it suits their
purpose. Being highly competitive and unwilling to listen to the directives
of anyone whom they cannot value (i.e., those who do not
have high utility for their career), they will attack the team, berate
the members, and sabotage the leader. Recall that psychopaths believe
they possess or are entitled to higher status than others and will
treat coworkers like pawns in their drama. Predictably, they attack
others who attempt to manage or evaluate them.
When teamwork is in their own interest or is useful to them (as a
means of manipulating others), they will attempt to take over the