LEADING THOUGHTS

They are smoother than glass and have the conscience of a stone. They have an almost mystical ability to ingratiate and fool people with their wiles. They are sociopaths, and woe is you if you cross their path in your organizational travels.

In Organization Development Journal, psych profs Joseph Cangemi and William Pfohl (Western Kentucky U) offer seven short case studies of sociopaths in leadership positions — stories that will probably make you squirm. And the authors offer some insight on how to unmask a sociopath. Namely:

:: Sociopaths are very charming in public but away from the spotlight they lie, steal, and generally behave unethically, usually getting away with it. Lesson: Take note of how leaders behave in more private moments.

:: Sociopaths, particularly those with educational credentials, are adept at making others doubt themselves, often by fudging information. Lesson: As Maslow advised, develop a healthy skepticism in relationships with others.

:: Sociopaths are envious and will have no reluctance to destroy competition by any means. Lesson: This behaviour, which is lauded in leaders in competitive industries, can easily be turned on colleagues or underlings.

“Sociopaths will take advantage of others whenever they can, whenever they sense individuals involved with them show great respect for them, are naive – or fear them,” Cangemi and Pfohl write. “The recipient must expose the conscience-less predator for what he/she is – face-to-face. No excuses. The sociopath must be exposed and must know the individual is aware of what is going on and is not afraid.”

But have no illusions: exposing a sociopath does not mean he or she disappears. Either you will have to always keep up your guard or leave the organization altogether.

“Sociopaths in high places”, by Joseph Cangemi and William Pfohl;  Organization Development Journal (vol. 27 no. 2, Summer 2009; pp. 85-96)

If you cannot find this journal is your local library, email me for a copy of the article at Alan [at] AlanMorantz.com

photo credit: L-plate big cheese

For all the attention paid to domestic violence, there is little focus on how it may play out in the workplace. In fact, researchers from University of Arkansas say, it is a “dirty little secret” that domestic violence casts a shadow on workplace performance.

In a thorough overview of domestic abuse and the workplace, the authors illustrate the scale of the problem, offer a case study of one organization’s response, and present current best practices.

Just how big a workplace problem is Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)? Studies in 2006 and 2007 involving 2,400 workers at three large American organizations showed that 10 percent of female and male employees experienced  physical abuse, stalking, or threats of physical harm within the previous 12 months. Of these employees, 19 percent said some form of abuse occurred while they were at work, most likely stalking or threats by their partners.

What effect this has on their workplace performance is not clear, the authors state. Research to date seems to indicate that IPV affects the employee’s ability to be mentally engaged at work but not necessarily the employee’s ability to be physically present at work. IPV victims find a way to get to their jobs because they see employment as an economic lifeline. In the U.S. health care context, the average cost of IPV victimization ranges from $294 to $948.

The paper offers a case study of Liz Claiborne, Inc., where IPV started as an externally focused marketing campaign that grew into internal educational seminars and policies and protocols. From their experience and the experience of other organizations, the authors offer the following best practices:

• Organize a team to oversee the process, with representatives from HR, corporate security, legal services, communications, employee assistance programs, and unions. The team must be supported by top management. Small organizations can tap into local law enforcement or IPV advocacy groups for assistance.
• Develop a corporate policy that addresses: acceptable/unacceptable conduct; assistance available to affected employees; and guidance on how managers and co-workers should handle cases of IPV in the workplace. The policy is particularly useful for co-workers who are often unsure whether an incident should be noted or to whom it should be reported. The policy can either be included in the organization’s existing workplace safety policy or stand on its own. Sample policies are available at The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence
• Provide training specific to domestic abuse, organization wide. Training should be based on the mantra “Recognize, Respond, Refer”: how to recognize the signs of IPV, how to help employees respond to an incident, and how to refer victims and co-workers to get help.
• Build awareness through internal communication.

Coming Into the Light: Intimate Partner Violence and Its Effects at Work; O’Leary-Kelly, Lean, Reeves, Randel; Academy of Management Perspectives (vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 57-71).

photo credit: taberandrew