Get ahead through honour and integrity? Forget about it!
A lack of success criteria in the modern office has provided enough shades of grey for mobster-like bosses to flourish through narcissistic, Machiavellian and even psychopathic behaviour, according to a book published next month.
In Office Politics, psychologist and broadcaster Oliver James, proposes three less-than-complimentary personality types that he has encountered among white collar workers in the office – the psychopath, the Machiavel and the narcissist.
But of most concern is his assertion
that, in some cases, an individual’s personality can be
a combination of all three – what he calls the “triadic” personality. Fictional examples of individuals who possess these traits include TV’s Tony Soprano and Gordon Gekko from the movie Wall Street.
James proposes modern working practices and a lack of robust success criteria enable such individuals to flourish, as they will quite happily take credit for someone else’s hard graft or shift the blame away from themselves.
What do you think? Have you seen a real life Tony Soprano climb up the corporate ladder? Or do you think that honesty and integrity are how to really get ahead in your career?
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I read this article with interest, and sadly, I have to agree that not only do the character types describe flourish, it seems in some companies that these types are the only ones who get recognised and promoted.
I think it’s hardly surprising because this is what the media portrays as the way to be successful – you only have to watch ‘The Apprentice’ to see that the nice guys get ‘fired’ early. These programmes seem to suggest that the only way to be successful is to be prepared to walk over anyone who gets in your way – and unfortunately it appears as though many management teams agree.
Honesty and integrity any time. If you cannot progress in the only acceptable way, you are better where you are.