BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace

Subject: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: freda underhill
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 08:50 PM

I heard an interesting radio show this morning, about psychopaths. Apparently 1 in every 100 of us is a psychopath, there is a checklist (the Psychopath Check List) and the leader in the field, Dr Robert Hare, who has besically strudied and defined the modern day psychopath, is now studying psychpopaths in the workplace (apparently they can do well in certain corporations).

Apparently a psychopath's cold-blooded ability to manipulate others without remorse, coupled to a veneer of charm, may make them extremely successful in many walks of life - including big business and politics.

hmm.. reminds me of a certain boss I had a couple of years ago...

Professor Hare, of the University of British Columbia in Canada, has been studying psychopathic behaviour in the workplace and is devising tools that may help businesses spot them before it is too late.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 09:00 PM

I know two such people. One has in fact affected my career and life, in turning me off a job I loved for 23 years and somehow providing the circumstances that resulted in my starting to write songs.

If he was your neighbour, you'd love him - congenial, friendly, always willing to help, bright and friendly.

At work he commits heinous crimes that - I am sure - would horrify him if you told him so at home.

I am convinced that he cannot help it. Each of his personalities cannot see the other.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 09:11 PM

Psychopaths enjoy making fools out of good people, and lies are their trump suit. But most of all, these 'adorable' creatures do their best to appear absolutely normal.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Metchosin
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 09:37 PM

More here

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 11:13 PM

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt to prove it, read the book, saw the movie, was in the opening night cast for the play, now I'm trying to get my shit together and take it on the road!

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Bobert
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 11:29 PM

Sorry, I thought this was another thread on Bush...

Nveremind.

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Amergin
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 11:57 PM

I thought it was about me....didn't think there was anyone at work who posted here...

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 11:58 PM

One year I worked for a supervisory park ranger who was so twisted--he was a pathological liar. Does that count? He seems to have spent his season looking like a charming and garulous individual at the workplace, but away from work he had some pretty destructive habits and told the most bizarre and mean-spirited lies about people. A true Jekyll/Hyde personality.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Nerd
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 12:58 AM

Pathological lying and split personalities or MPD are totally different from Psychopathy. See Metchosin's link.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Helen
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 02:48 AM

I have been targeted by a sociopathic boss who "appears" to be very effective to everyone else but his current target i.e. victim - whoever that may be at the moment and I can gurantee that there is always someone working for him with a big red bullseye painted on his/her forehead.

He ruined my health and my emotional, spiritual & intellectual capacities for a few years during and after the 2 years of working for him. I'm just about recovered now, although still dealing with a chronic health problem which I will live with for the rest of my life.

This is a Mudcat thread I started when I found out that there was a name for what he was doing to me.

Lost sense of humour - links to bullying

The Tim Field website, I can honestly say, saved my life. I can't recommend it highly enough for anyone going through this experience.

The info on "serial bullies" is especially enlightening.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Sweetfia
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 05:11 AM

Mmmm, sounds like one of my ex-bofriends!

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: kendall
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 07:06 AM

I've encountered many bullies in my life, and everyone of them was a coward.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: GUEST,Dr. Freud
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 09:39 AM

Diagnostics: At the very least, psychopaths always steal your time and/or your money when you have to deal with them.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 05:45 PM

Helen, I think you posted a link to a local file on your computer. I can't get it to work, and it seems to be pointed to someone's D: drive.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 05:54 PM

This is the thread Helen had in mind: BS: Lost sense of humour: links to bullying
…and I think this is the website she recommended: Bully OnLine.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: jacqui.c
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 06:01 PM

I've heard about this before and that these people make very successful business managers because they do not have any real feeling that the actions they take can impinge on the lives of their workforce. The MD of the company I work for, when told that staff morale was poor responded with "It doesn't matter, they're only people".

There is a difference between these types and the bullying boss. In general the latter is aware of the effect their behaviour is having on the victim and they derive some pleasure from that reaction. I work for one of these types and have had to take formal action to stop his bullying. The psychopath does not understand that what they are doing is hurting others. One of our managers, who I think falls into that group was mystified when two members of staff refused to uproot their families and move halfway across the country to another office. This guy wouldn't do it himself but could not understand that others might have the same reluctance. This man is very genial, takes part in the social life of the office but would have no compunction about getting rid of staff if he deemed it necessary. To me that atitude is totaly alien but it seems that they are good in a business sense.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Amos
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 06:03 PM

Helen's original thread is here.

The link above is to a local HTML file on her system as SRS said.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 09:08 PM

Were I to treat my staff as anything EXCEPT the bright, motivated people they are I'd find myself unemployed so fast I'd be a blur.

I just returned from a training trip to Boise with two of them. My function was schmoozing, paying the motel bill, and so on. Theirs was to absorb as much info as they could about being a center for grant information (we've been named a Cooperating Collection by The Foundation Center). At one point I told them that my job was to see that they had the equipment, training, and so on to do their jobs the best they could; that I was only there to make their job go smoothly. After all, if I, as the boss, don't look out for them, who will? If I don't look out for them, service to the public suffers and the public (bless their unwashed li'l hearts) pay our salaries.

This is also true in the private sector: no customers, no profits; no profits, no salaries and no business.

Must be me, because I can't understand the martinets, the psychos, the power-mad. Yes, I can and have been "firm" when it was needed. But I'd much rather solve the problem than fix the blame, coach rather than dictate, and guide them to the decision I already made.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Helen
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 10:02 PM

Thanks SRS, Jim Dixon & Amos. I had saved the thread on my computer and did half the job of finding the name of it to post here but not the other half of actually linking it to Mudcat. Oh well, you knew what I meant. Thanks.

The sociopath I worked for fairly closely fitted jacqui c.'s description: he was so concerned at making his own career take off that he would do anything to anyone regardless of how it affected that person. He was a moral and emotional coward. I think he knew what effect he was having but it was of no consequence to him.

He was certainly a decision-making coward. He would delay and send people on wild goose chases for months just to stave off the point when he would actually have to make a decision that he might have to justify or defend. How he managed to get away with it when he was a senior manager in a major public organisation is beyond me. He spent most of his waking hours looking over his shoulder wondering whether anyone had twigged yet about how incompetent he was. He could also recruit a lot of other people to work with him by playing on their negative personal traits, especially either their fears or their innate desire to see the worst in people or to enjoy watching other people fall over.

The thing that still scares me is that a room full of 40 or so intelligent, basically nice people would put their heads down for nearly 2 years (in my case) and hope that as long as I was being victimised they would be safe. Only 2 people reached out to help me, for which I will be eternally grateful.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: jacqui.c
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 06:09 AM

You were lucky Helen - The group I work with all knew what this guy was and not one of them would put their head above the parapet. As a a result, although he was reprimanded I still have to work in the same area and under his overall control. At the time I told a friend that I could quite see how the likes of Hitler managed to do what he did - so many people, if it doesn't directly hit them, won't even think of standing up. This guy has now transferred his attentions to a male colleague who I warned two years ago would be the next target if something wasn't done. He has just admitted that he should have spoken up then - too late now - The guy leaves me alone because I've shown I'll bite and moves on to an easier target.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 08:53 AM

I have seen psychopaths at work in a number of offices. The absolute worst was a man who hired only Germans if he could and organized a Luft Waffer (sp?) They got out of control drunk once in a very expensive hotel company suite and wrecked the place. Then they decided it would be a good idea to break into the empty suite across the hall and switch the furniture to hide the damage. The suite however was not empty and a melee followed with the police called. The company got them out of the mess, paid for all the damages and NO ONE WAS FIRED. The group bragged about it openly.

That was only one of their "pranks". Blacks and jews were constantly humiliated. Women were treated like crap. A nightmare working condition. In my foolish youth I was more concerned with building a career than tilting at windmills. Now I realize that I could have sued and owned the company. The sexual harrassment was outlandish.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Rapparee
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 09:06 AM

If they're harassing other employees they could very well be doing worse, I think.

There is NO reason to put up with crap (unless you either like it or are desperate). Document, and complain to those higher up the food chain. If the harasser is the top dog, document, say no (over and over and over) and see a lawyer.

This past year my niece had enough "inappropriate touching" and complained about the college prof. Investigation showed that she was not only correct, but the eighth student to file such a complaint. He didn't return for the second semester -- a tenured professor dismissed "for cause."

How about a company where the boss takes everyone on a chartered cruise? And when you come to dinner, you're grabbed and vodka is poured into you (literally)? A contractor, he was also depositing the checks given to homeowners by mortgage companies into his own account. When this was discovered, not only did his company go down, but so did a (small) local bank, a class action suit was filed so that people could keep their homes, and more than a few similar things.

I don't like lawsuits, but sometimes that's the only way to get their attention.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: jacqui.c
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 09:36 AM

I agree Rapaire

I hope before the end of the year, not to have to work for this company any more, but if that were not the case I would be making one hell of a fuss to be moved from a position where I'm being made to feel like a pariah because I dared to challenge some bastard's behaviour. He has his sycophants who make up to him and then criticise him behind his back and, as far as I'm concerned, they all deserve each other. That, quite often, is the problem - a lot of people will not do anything about the behaviour.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 01:56 PM

I agree - Rapaire. I don't like lawsuits either. In the 70s, a lawsuit would have meant that I simply would not work again. The "Old Boys" network was strong and impenetrable. Times changed and a lot of the changes were the result of good unions supporting their members. Alas the days are gone when I can expect to be sexually harrassed. But in the unlikely event it happens, I pity the poor sod who crosses swords with me.

What is it with university professors? I have been getting a blow by blow from a niece (a full professor)who actually carries a tape recorder for evidence of threats and unwanted advances. Are their egos full blown with the adoration of silly young college students looking to move up a grade?

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: GUEST,Anne Croucher
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 02:30 PM

I have worked on some fairly male dominated companies, and pity many of them as their middle management was so ineffective, but I did find that it was no good putting up with 'off' behaviour - in fact it was best to make a comment at once. Never - never - anything rude or disrespectful or threatening, always look them straight in the eye and smile slightly.

I used to start off by saying something on the lines 'You aren't used to working with women - I can tell, maybe you have had some girls around, and that's given you the wrong idea about how you ought to behave.'

If you let a situation develop it is far harder to get a normal working relationship established.

If you are a new arrival in the company contacting the personnel department in the first two or three days with your initial disquiet is likely to have a far better outcome than presenting a huge list of complaints after several months.

Anne

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Nerd
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 02:42 PM

Actually, almost none of the things you're describing is psychopathic. Or to put it another way, psychopaths might get off on sexual harrasment, racism, drunken brawls, trashing hotel rooms, etc., but these behaviors are not limited to psychopaths by any means.

The technical term for many of the people you're describing is ASSHOLES.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Rapparee
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 04:03 PM

Nerd, please! Assholes have a useful purpose!

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Nerd
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 04:16 PM

Good Point, Rapaire.

Maybe they're motherfuckers. (Betcha no-one will step up to support THAT!)

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: GUEST,Oedipus Rex
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 05:17 PM

You lose!

Remember our family mottos:

The Family That Lays Together Stays Together.
Vice Is Nice, But Incest Is Best.

and my favorite:

A Man's Best Friend Is His Mother.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Nerd
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 05:31 PM

You're an impostor, GUEST. The real Oedipus Rex would not have stood up for motherfucking. He put his own eyes out in remorse when he found out his new wife was also his biological mother.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 06:30 PM

Which brings up a point that has troubled me for many years. You're born; your family is told that you will kill your father and marry your mother so they do the only right thing and send you away.

Now, years later, a young man the same age as your exiled son accidentally kills Father. So how do you get to the decision that marrying him is a good thing? Am I over analyzing this?

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Helen
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 06:36 PM

What a coincidence: I just received this from the e-mail List called Bully Online. I will save the radio file so if anyone reads this after it has been removed from the Oz ABC Radio site you can PM me for a copy of the file.



Ever come across one of these characters?

    "engineers himself or herself into a position of authority as gatekeeper of the organisation and thus the person through whom all information must flow, and the person to whom all requests for services must be referred - which he or she then takes delight in denying...gives weak people power...manipulates others into making fools of themselves in situations where they cannot back down - these people are then trapped as pawns...conducts vendettas against anyone who asks questions...always beguilingly plausible...is contemptuous of collateral damage and of the destructive consequences for all...leaves behind a trail of dysfunctional organisations, destroyed businesses, ruined careers, stress breakdowns and suicides" (quoted from

Sociopaths - serial bullies )

ABC Radio National in Sydney, Australia, examines psychopaths in the workplace:

Thursday 15 July 2004, 09:45am (Sydney time): Life Matters, ABC Radio, Australia looks at workplace psychopaths. You can listen live at

Workplace Psychopaths

and the audio is also streamed for about a fortnight (and transcripts available) at:
Workplace Psychopaths

Sunday 18 July 2004, 09:10am, repeated Tuesday 20 July 2004 at 7:10pm (Sydney time): Background Briefing, produced by Ian Walker, is ABC Radio National's agenda-setting current affairs radio documentary program. This week: Psychos in Suits - find out what happens when the psychopath goes to work - a hair-raising story of toxic bosses, irrational CEOs, backstabbing co-workers, serial bullies and malignant narcissists. Includes an interview with Tim Field. Listen live over the net at

Workplace Psychopaths .

Streamed audio (available two hours after broadcast) and transcripts available (by the following Thursday) at

Workplace Psychopaths

Best regards,

Tim Field
www.bullyonline.org

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Helen
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 06:49 PM

Not so lucky, jacqui, because I didn't find the two nice people until about 12 months into my time there. Meanwhile I was a physical and emotional wreck. People would walk away from me if I tried to talk to them. One woman said, after it was almost all over and I had been told I had lost my temporary job, that she knew what had been happening all along but she just kept out of it all. She's kind of related to me as well, so even family don't stick together in these cases.

And I totally agree about how Hitler managed to get away with everything he did. The bystanders either knowingly or less knowingly provided help and support either by action or inaction.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 11:13 PM

I returned to the workforce after being self employed as a single Mother for 18 years. What a shock! Hardly anyone knows their rights, don't even know if they have a union, what their minimal rate of pay is, or if they're entitled by law to over time payments!

Having worked in health related fields for 18yrs I studied further, to enable me employment as a Medical Secretary. Ileft my first good job after 2 yrs, to work closer to home after being wooed and enticed by a Radiology Practice, I then encountered the first of many disturbing scenarios.

I was promised training for a fairly complicated job, which if not performed correctly, had ramifications for patients. I received no training at all - in at the deep end, sink or swim from the first minute I walked in the door of a very busy practice.

I was treading water, doing well enough, for someone with zero training, then encountered the daily, regular insults for not performing the job 100%.

The Supervisor, spent most of her time, either flashing her knickers, sticking the telephone receiver up her skirt and into her crutch, (all at the front desk reception with up to 30 patients in the room) or telling anyone who would listen, that her response to demanding male doctors was, to tell them, she'd rub her pussy into their face.

Same woman, would put the wrong patient reports into the wrong envelopes, with someone else's films, then blame me, or anyone else who was handy.

After 3 weeks, she marched me into the Manager's office, (same one who promised me full training) to endure a ticking off, for making errors. Needless to say, I told them what I thought & walked out.

Into, another job, much the same, in radiology, after a few months of depression at the difficulty in finding a job at 56 yrs of age. This time, the doctor who owned and ran the practice, had a dislike of older women.

No training, in spite of telling him I had only 3 weeks experience. Same berating for making minor errors, while younger staff, who insulted patients & also made errors, were left alone.

In the 3 months I was there, four temporary secretaries, all over 45 yrs of age, walked out due to the abuse. I had just come to the end of the 3 monthly review, had the interview, where I was told, my typing skills needed improving. I pointed out, that those skills wouldn't improve, if I was not allowed to type, because I made one or two errors from time to time whilst learning new terminology.

After the interview, I was prevented from typing, hence no improved typing skills & fired, just, within the 3 month probationary period.

Furious, I decided to take it to Industrial Relations commission. The Doctor's solicitor tried to convince me before, that I didn't have a leg to stand on. I called their bluff and walked away with $2000.00.

I knew that would hurt his pocket, cause him inconvenience, and disturb his confidence that, he could abuse anyone, any time. Most importantly, I felt I had power back in my hands & hadn't left as a victim.

Don't let these idiots get away with it. Maybe my action will make this man think next time, before causing a lot of grief.

But there does seem to be now in the work place, an in at the deep end approach, everyone walking on egg shells, afraid to complain, afraid to ask for over time payment, no support to fellow workers, a group mentality of shunning anyone in trouble. It all leads to more power and control of employees.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: freda underhill
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 11:39 PM

Its been interesting reading all this, and Helen those links from Tim Field that you just posted were from the radio show I heard a few days ago that prompted this thread. Guest, who has just posted, you have described the deterioration in workplace standards so well.

Standards in australian government offices have dropped drastically in the last few years, and workplace bullying has risen dramatically, with encouragement from the government. politicians lead, bureaucrats follow.

freda

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 01:21 AM

... and then there's my "Neighbour from Hell" that I've posted about before - gone rather quiet now - they must have adjusted her Medication... :-)

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Nerd
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 02:53 PM

Thread drift alert!

Sinsull,

I'm not sure I remember my Sophocles all that well, but I think the way Oedipus worked was this:

Oedipus killed Laius on the road between Corinth and Thebes, and he was never aware it was the King of Thebes he had killed. When he got to Thebes, people knew that the king was dead, but not that Oedipus had killed him. Oedipus solved the riddle of the Sphinx, saving the town, and he was given the kingship and Jocasta's hand as reward.

Thus, she never knew this was the man who killed Laius, and he never knew this was the wife of someone he killed, until years later, when Tieresias solves Laius's murder.

One could say, he simply should not have married anyone old enough to be his mother, and she should not have married anyone young enough to be her son, just to be safe. But then, he might have looked older than he was, and she younger than she was. If she was twenty when he was born, say she's now fifty and looks forty, and he's now thirty and looks forty. Shit happens!

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: GUEST,freaked out
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 05:10 AM

This workplace is .. yes, crawling with spooks, nasty ones. Can't stand it. And they pick on people, harass them, or cosy up to them and then stab them in the back. These are the Army Reserve types, the divine right of the Right. May they choke on their artichokes, and be condemned to a life photocopying. Then again, they could get quick promotions to middle management.

eek. Is this Stalinist Russia or a western democracy in 2004? oops, democracy - government of the people by the media, for the few.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 05:17 AM

The Office!

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 05:20 AM

"...More often than not, the typical psychopath will seem particularly agreeable and make a distinctly positive impression when he is first encountered. Alert and friendly in his attitude, he is easy to talk with and seems to have a good many genuine interests. There is nothing at all odd or queer about him, and in every respect he tends to embody the concept of a well-adjusted, happy person. Nor does he, on the other hand, seem to be artificially exerting himself like one who is covering up or who wants to sell you a bill of goods. He would seldom be confused with the professional backslapper or someone who is trying to ingratiate himself for a concealed purpose. Signs of affectation or excessive affability are not characteristic. He looks like the real thing.

"Very often indications of good sense and sound reasoning will emerge, and one is likely to feel soon after meeting him that this normal and pleasant person is also one with -high abilities. Psychometric tests also very frequently show him of superior intelligence. More than the average person, he is likely to seem free from social or emotional impediments, from the minor distortions, peculiarities, and awkwardnesses so common even among the successful. Such superficial characteristics are not universal in this group but they are very common..."

"...It must be granted of course that the psychopath has some affect. Affect is, perhaps, a component in the sum of life reactions even in the unicellular protoplasmic entity. Certainly in all mammals it is obvious. The relatively petty states of pleasure, vexation, and animosity experienced by the psychopath have been mentioned. The opinion here maintained is that he fails to know all those more serious and deeply moving affective states which make up the tragedy and triumph of ordinary life, of life at the level of important human experience..."

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 05:28 AM

The DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder are:

A. A pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, lack of empathy, as indicated by at least five of:

1. a grandiose sense of self-importance
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. believes that he or she is "special" and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. requires excessive admiration
5. has a sense of entitlement, ie unreasonable expectations of especially favourable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
6. is interpersonally exploitative, ie takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
7. lacks empathy and is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
8. is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
9. shows arrogant, haughty behaviours or attitudes

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 09:19 AM

Failed all 9 - Damn!

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 09:30 AM

OK.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 09:47 AM

I answered no to them all... and so did some friends of mine when asked about me several years ago...

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Blowzabella
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 06:21 PM

I used to have a job as a civil servat, dealing with members of the public as customers. Some of them could be very, very violent and demanding, when i was dealing with them.

Sometimes - they would say things to me like..."I can find out where you live you know..."

While this could be scary, I used to think to myself - "but I KNOW where YOU live!"

It always struck me - why did they never consider, when they were threatening me, that if one in a hundred of is is a psycopath - it might have been me!!

(I remember seeing an ad in the paper - manure delivered £5 a load - and thinking, for £10 I could have complete job satisfaction. But I never did anything about it.

Blowz

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 10:56 PM

My daughter got back at the bullies where she used to work and helped others, too, in a way. She quit when they called her in and yelled obscenities at her when she was 7 months pregnant and was the top collector. It was a ploy to get her to quit so they wouldn't have to keep her position after maternity leave. She was denied unemployment benefits because she had never explicity told them NOT to speak to her that way!

BUT, she had been keeping track of how many overtime hours and commissions they DIDN'T pay and reported them to the fed Wage & Hour. It took a year of investigation, but the bastards were ordered to pay all past employees of the past two years their due and it was thanks to my daughter. I am really proud of her.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Sep 04 - 07:13 PM

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: dianavan
Date: 25 Sep 04 - 10:10 PM

Kat - You should be proud of her. Says something about you too. Someone taught her to stand up for herself. Lucky for her she was on her way out the door.

Unfortunately, some of us have long term contracts and the psychopath is not the boss but a another professional. I work with a woman who is so "well connected" that if I ever told anyone how nasty she is to me, I would look unprofessional. As far as I can figure, she has disliked me from day one and has done everything she can to discredit me. Luckily, she has no power to fire me. It used to hurt my feelings and anger me, now I just laugh in her face. After ten years, she is losing ground. It is becoming obvious to everyone that she is not to be trusted.

I would not recommend the silent approach to anyone. I endured because I had my dream job and I could walk to work. I have fantasies about spitting on her when she graciously hands me, on behalf of the staff, my retirement gift. Does that make me the psychopath or just someone who desires revenge?

d

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 12:29 AM

Just a normal human being.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Helen
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 01:00 AM

dianavan,

I had to endure the bullying boss handing me my goodbye present in front of the rest of the staff. When asked if I would make a reply speech I said no. I could not have done anything then & there, but I have worked on the perfect reply for when I see him - which thankfully is only once every year or so. He says hello to me and I have practiced arching my eyebrow, saying "David!?" with a school marm voice as if he has been caught cheating on an exam or scratching his name into the schooldesk, and then waiting to see if he has anything further to say to me. Which he doesn't because his inbuilt inferiority complex probably plays all sorts of scenarios in his head when he sees my response to him.

Of course, that little bit of play-acting wouldn't be enough on its own, but I ratted on him, big-time, with lots of documentation, to his boss (a woman he fears) and told him about it a year later so that he would then have to replay in his head all of the conversations and performance reviews he had had with her over the previous year. He used to be a nervous wreck before his performance reviews but I bet his anxiety levels multiplied after that.

I never really got closure on that experience but the revenge made me feel better because I acted professionally from start to finish and he didn't.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: rich-joy
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 01:56 AM

Now I understand how Cathy Bradshaw (and Tom Chandler) "got away with it" for so long, on "The Bill" !!!

So maybe it's NOT that "The Bill"s scriptwriters are turning the series into an unbelievable soap opera - as has been the accusation, but rather, that it is in fact mirroring modern "real life", where "the Villans" are more likely to be hidden in your own Team.

Hmmmmm ...


Cheers! R-J
(in Oz)

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 10:19 AM

The Neighbour I mentoned on 18 Jul above is off again...

Throwing stones at my house again. Claims I'm flooding her house down the hill, when I'm not poisoning her grass that would grow in the very area that the water runs into because she took all the topsoil off the clay and the grass doesn't grow there any more!

Sigh!

At least I can keep taking the tablets!

Which is kinda funny I should mention that because she went out in the car for about an hour at about 10:30 pm...

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 10:21 AM

I'm not making this up you know!

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 12:19 PM

Mothers who endure such stress during pregrancy produce children that are defective in crucial areas the mother needs to keep accurate records or when her kitten grows up it may extend its claws towards to the mother and may be awarded damages from the parent which were exacted while in the womb courts are opting on the side of the child against negligent parents that placed the fetus in harm's way Docter Laura Schlesinger concurs.

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Helen
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 06:12 PM

Rich-joy,

I only saw a couple of the episodes with Cathy Bradshaw playing mind-games with Polly - but what I did see was spot-on, totally true to life. And the target doesn't see the machinations going on behind the seemingly innocent "friendship" until they end up in hot water and suddenly, too late, it all becomes clear.

Scary stuff, especially when it happens in broad daylight in a room full of people who think they care about other people but who duck for cover and watch someone else burn rather than risk losing their own comfort zone for the sake of standing up for human decency.

As you may have guessed the "innocent bystanders" pissed me off as much as the sociopathic bully.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Sep 04 - 06:21 PM

hey, "guest"...you wanta punctuate that sentence a bit?

Subject: RE: BS: Psychopaths in the Workplace
From: rich-joy
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 03:48 AM

Scary stuff indeed, Helen - guess it makes it hard to trust people everafter too - very sad.



Cheers! R-J