Psychopathy, Leadership, and Strategies for Human Resource Professionals

The prevalence of individuals with psychopathic tendencies in corporate leadership positions has been a growing concern among scholars and a subject of increasing interest in the popular press. Numerous studies suggest that individuals with psychopathic traits may be more likely to ascend to leadership roles due to their charisma, persuasiveness, and ability to manipulate others. But longitudinal studies examining the relationship between psychopathy and leadership are scarce (Holland in Pers Rev 49:1039–1052, 2020), complex, and inconclusive. Most studies concur on one finding: psychopathic traits can lead to negative consequences for workers and their organizations (Landay et al. in J Appl Psychol 104:183–196, 2019; Leeper Piquero et al. in Deviant Behav 42:979–992, 2021). This chapter presents an overview of psychopathy in leaders and its impact on several organizational variables and coworkers.