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252 SNAKES IN SUITS
be groundless. Others may uncover serious managerial and morale
problems.
disparate treatment of staff
Because psychopaths see people playing different roles in their psychopathic
drama (that is, pawns, patrons, patsies, and police), they
will treat some better than others. This disparate, and often subtle,
treatment of others may never really be known except to the individuals
themselves. And, for reasons explained in chapter 10, they may
never come forward to report their feelings. As a result, it may take a
very long time for coworkers and management to figure out what is
really going on, if they see it at all.
Unfortunately, it is usually only the most gross or egregious
treatment of others that gets attention and prompts action. But even
this treatment is readily explained away and justified by the corporate
psychopath. For example, one psychopathic manager promoted a junior
staff member as a reward for her good work, even though another
person in the department had more experience and was more
deserving of the promotion. The person who was passed over was
considered a rival by the psychopath because he had received some
positive attention from others in the company. The promotion was
designed to block the potential rival’s career and to guarantee continued
support from an obedient, indebted junior person.
In another case, an individual who had been in a supervisory position
for only three years was nominated as a high potential, with an
eye toward taking a position as vice president within the next two
years. Although there were clearly more qualified people in the organization,
the psychopathic nominator was able to persuade the succession
committee of his choice. In this case, considerable money,
from a limited fund, was spent on developmental activities over the
objections of others on the committee. At the end of two years, the
“high-potential” candidate was no more ready to assume the responsibilities
of a vice president’s job than at the time he had been nominated.
When he was not promoted he left in disgust, having been
promised a great career by his psychopathic boss.