Workplace psychopaths and duping delight

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      Decades ago, I was misfortunate enough to work under a manipulative, callous, and frequently dishonest person who likely met the standard of being a workplace psychopath.

      For me, it was very confusing because I had never encountered anyone like that before. This experience spurred a lifelong interest in this topic.

      Over the years, I've learned that one of the hallmarks of psychopathy is "duping delight".

      This occurs when a psychopath takes pleasure in playing games of deception to make others feel terrible and under their control.

      Duping delight also serves to relieve the tedium in the psychopath's life. When they've played one of these tricks, you might catch a faint smile momentarily cross their face.

      Many people think that psychopaths are violent criminals, but that's often not the case. Sometimes, they're working at the desk next to you.

      If you're curious to learn more about workplace psychopaths, I recommend the videos below.

      The first is an Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentary focusing on psychopathy expert John Clark.

      The second features Middlesex University London researcher Clive Boddy speaking at a TEDx event.

      Boddy is the author of Corporate Psychopaths: Organizational Destroyers.

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