Are you a psychopath? And why you don’t need to be one to be a great leader

Are you a psychopath?

Statistically, probably not. But would you know if you were? And if you were and you knew it, would you admit it?

Severe psychopathy is thought to affect only around 1% of the population. That said, studies suggest 30% of us could demonstrate at least a few psychopathic traits. Some of these, like superficial charm, a grandiose sense of self-worth, and a lack of empathy, might even be useful – when climbing the career ladder, for example.

At least, that’s the premise of Snakes in Suits, a 2006 book by Paul Babiak and Robert D Hare. Subtitled When Psychopaths Go To Work, it explains how psychopaths can manipulate their way into a career and then get promoted, sometimes all the way to the top.

Which leads to another question: What do you do if you’re not a psychopath, but you still want to get ahead?

Keep reading to find out.

You can test your own level of psychopathy… if you dare!

So you don’t think you’re a psychopath? How sure are you? Sure enough to take a simple test to find out?

Such a test does exist. It’s called the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, a test for sociopathy. And Melo’s own CEO, Vicki, recently braved its murky depths. Try it yourself, if you dare.

You’ll face a series of simple questions that provide a primary and secondary psychopathy score, both marked out of five.

The questions measure things like empathy and tolerance for antisocial behaviour. Followed by your attitudes to rule-breaking and desire to complete tasks usually considered socially rewarding.

Vicki (who was happy to share her results!) scored an impressive 1.8 for primary psychopathy and 2.1 for secondary psychopathy.

So… not very psychopathic at all.

In fact, Vicki’s results for primary (65%) and secondary psychopathy (70%) mean that she is less psychopathic than the general population.

Incredibly reassuring, you’ll agree.

You don’t need to be a snake in a suit to climb the corporate ladder

The good news is that the authors of Snakes in Suits conclude that, in fact, only around 1% of senior business positions are held by psychopaths. That means there’s plenty of room for you to get that leadership role you covet and deserve.

As a non-psychopath looking to progress, you might consider:

• Leading with empathy, compassion, and integrity
• Creating a positive culture based on honesty, transparency, and personal responsibility
• Demonstrating the productivity and morale benefits of an invested workforce.

If you still need help, there are plenty of books on the market that could teach you valuable lessons in leadership.

3 books to help you be a non-psychopath CEO… although one is about “slaying”

1. The Broken CEO: How To Be The Leader You Always Wanted To – Chris Pearse

By concentrating on the human being at the head (and heart) of a business, Pearse’s book could give you the confidence to be the type of leader you most want to be.

It does this through in-depth case studies, easy-to-follow chapter summaries, and must-know insights into topics like accountability, resilience, and emotional intelligence.

2. How To Be A CEO: Purpose. People. Performance – Ben Renshaw

Through extensive research across the business world, Renshaw narrows down exactly what it means, and takes, to be a great CEO.

Map out your career path with this practical guide that will help you to be the best CEO you can be, answering all your complicated leadership questions along the way. And all in a super-slim volume.

3. How to Be a Badass Female CEO: Slay the Competition and Reach the Top ­– Mimi MacLean

Even the 1% of psychopath CEOs don’t advocate a literal slaying of the opposition. And neither does MacLean.

But she does provide thought-provoking statistics and a step-by-step guide for female entrepreneurs with their sights set on the very top.

We need women in UK boardrooms, and MacLean’s inspiring book is the perfect place to start.

Get in touch

To find out more about how the team at Melo can help you lead with confidence, get in touch. Hit us up by email at hello@melo.co.uk or call us on 0113 4656 111.