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I had a boss who was a complete and utter sociopath (by the article's definitions), but there were few people I'd rather go to the pub and have a pint with. Dan

I had a boss who was a complete and utter sociopath (by the article's definitions), but there were few people I'd rather go to the pub and have a pint with. Dangerous combination. Gotta watch out for those. What he couldn't otherwise make happen through force of will, he could through personality. He's the CIO at some middling company now, and there's no way I'd connect to him on LinkedIn.

tsol 4y ago
Why are people afraid of these sociopath types? I'm new to the corporate world, but it's not like they're going to just randomly attack you right?
- Nomentatus 4y ago
  Agreed, they will not attack randomly. They'll attack you fiercely the moment you try to do something right, or something that helps your corporation or a customer in any way that doesn't help them. So only if you are ethical in any way are you in danger.
- kache_ 4y ago
  Because they cannot read between the lines Don't hate the player, hate the game. Your general in the upper strata has to play the game, it's the job. But you can also get a beer and become friends with him or her. Sociopathic behavior is genuinely useful to participate in. Just have awareness of what's going on, and down cycle and up cycle your "talking in between the lines" as necessary. And have fun
- karpierz 4y ago
  You don't need to be afraid of Sociopaths as written. Especially not if you're just starting out. Rather, think of them as massive waves on the ocean. They don't care whether you ride them to shore or are shattered beneath them. Focus more on figuring out which way the waves are going rather than how to stop them.
- TheRealDunkirk 4y ago
  As others have said, it's not random, but woe to you if you get caught in the crosshairs. In this particular instance, the sociopath who became my boss -- best I can figure -- blamed me for something that my previous boss did, and he rode me into the ground with crap assignments and continually-derisive language. When I finally got a chance to program something for him, towards the end of our time together, and it ran 5 times faster than his favored programmer, he questioned me like I had gotten someone else to do it or something. He was absolutely incredulous, never would admit that, hey, maybe I did know something about what I was talking about. There's a quote that goes something like, "Never get between a jerk and his goals," and that's what it felt like, for an interminable 3 years.
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tsol 4y ago

Why are people afraid of these sociopath types? I'm new to the corporate world, but it's not like they're going to just randomly attack you right?

Nomentatus 4y ago
Agreed, they will not attack randomly. They'll attack you fiercely the moment you try to do something right, or something that helps your corporation or a customer in any way that doesn't help them. So only if you are ethical in any way are you in danger.
kache_ 4y ago
Because they cannot read between the lines Don't hate the player, hate the game. Your general in the upper strata has to play the game, it's the job. But you can also get a beer and become friends with him or her. Sociopathic behavior is genuinely useful to participate in. Just have awareness of what's going on, and down cycle and up cycle your "talking in between the lines" as necessary. And have fun
karpierz 4y ago
You don't need to be afraid of Sociopaths as written. Especially not if you're just starting out. Rather, think of them as massive waves on the ocean. They don't care whether you ride them to shore or are shattered beneath them. Focus more on figuring out which way the waves are going rather than how to stop them.
TheRealDunkirk 4y ago
As others have said, it's not random, but woe to you if you get caught in the crosshairs. In this particular instance, the sociopath who became my boss -- best I can figure -- blamed me for something that my previous boss did, and he rode me into the ground with crap assignments and continually-derisive language. When I finally got a chance to program something for him, towards the end of our time together, and it ran 5 times faster than his favored programmer, he questioned me like I had gotten someone else to do it or something. He was absolutely incredulous, never would admit that, hey, maybe I did know something about what I was talking about. There's a quote that goes something like, "Never get between a jerk and his goals," and that's what it felt like, for an interminable 3 years.

deleted 4y ago

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