The office is full of sociopaths, believe it or not. You probably rub shoulders with one at work everyday. You might even be working closely with this person unsuspectingly. Before you start to dread the idea of working with a sociopath its good to understand what they are and what they aren’t.

Sociopaths at work isn’t new but the concept of identifying sociopaths is becoming a trend. Much of this is due to the rising popularity of sociopaths being portrayed in films and TV, but, also due to the growth of information and interest.

Historically, the office was populated by professionals who have been held to high standards and have been properly vetted, qualified, and certified. In a time of railroads and manufacturing, many sociopaths found it difficult, though not impossible, to assume positions of power and few made it to the corporate office. The need for great expertise in a field made it hard for sociopaths to prosper in this setting.

A new playing ground emerges

Recently, the boom of the computer age has transformed the country from a nation of manufacturing to a nation that is built on information. The entire nature of a “job” has been altered. Furthermore, the skills and information taught at may educational institutions have become obsolete.

The common man must compete on a global level. This is due to the fact that many highly skilled jobs that were once available have been shipped overseas. This trend has corralled more people into offices than in factories. Additionally, the skills to be learned for the new workplace environment have empowered office workers with the ability to achieve more. One can rise in rank in an organization by demonstrating skills, expertise, and performance. This development has been relatively positive for many who can get their foot in the door.

However, these new opportunities in the modern era have also created pathways for sociopaths to thrive. In fact, in an information society where assets can be intangible or contrived out of thin air, it becomes far too easy for someone to abuse the system and gain power. The new vehicles of a sociopath to succeed include fraud, sabotage, piracy, and more. Such capabilities of the office sociopath means that more people are affected in greater ways.

With such a threat present in the office, it becomes more important than ever for organizations to safeguard themselves against sociopaths, both inside and outside. The first and most obvious attempt to protect an organization from sociopaths have been through the extensive use of lawyers. Indeed, the legal environment of the workplace has neither been so complicated nor so burdensome. And while corporate law attempts to thwart sociopaths from selling out their companies for personal gain, the truth is, a lot of people get away with it anyway.

Internal and external threats by a sociopath

From within an organization, sociopaths stand significant gain in power and salary through deception. They use others as stepping stones and follow their own plans and goals despite appearing otherwise. They sell their company secrets, undermine the potential of others, cover up their misdeeds and convince their superiors of their value.

On the outside, sociopaths come in as clients, consultants, suppliers, competitors, and others. They represent both big and small organizations. They sell snake oil or they are trying to gain something from within their own organization such as a promotion or bonus by exploiting your organization.

Sociopath effects on an organization

The effects of a sociopath greatly depend on the industry, their role, and the circumstances. Their potential for damage can range from negligible to devastating. A sociopath in a role that has limited power and authority and has little interaction with others has little chance of causing significant harm. A sociopath who has great power in a tightly regulated industry can bring the organization to its knees without breaking a sweat.

A sociopath’s ability to cause harm is through each of his or her relationships with others in the office. At the bottom of an organization, a person’s interaction with others can range from their small team of coworkers and managers to the customers that they serve. With such a wide range of opportunities, it becomes hard to keep track of the possibilities. While it might sound quite bleak and make a sociopath resemble a virus, it is fortunate to say that many sociopaths will get along fairly well in the organization if the environment is proper.

A sociopath simply wants to complete their goals. Their weak conscience doesn’t make them actively seek to harm others (unless they are offended). This is important to understand when dealing with sociopaths. When a reward system encourages sociopaths to succeed on the terms of the organization, they can be a positive asset for the company. Understanding the goals of the sociopath (and any employee), there behavioral profile, and their motivational driving forces become essential for managing a sociopath.