Winners at office politics tend to be psychopathic--as well as narcissistic and Machiavellian. These "triads" fly up the corporate ladder, but there are ways to minimize their effect on your success and happiness.
It's
estimated that 3 million Americans are psychopathic--meaning they display callous or non-empathetic tendencies; that, perhaps one in 10 on Wall Street are; and it's even suggested that a touch of psychopathy may be
necessary to reach the top.
Psychopaths are also likely to be
narcissistic (self-loving) or to have a Machiavellian streak (detachment, liking for games-playing). These days, more and more people are "triadic," says British psychologist Oliver James--meaning the people in your office have all three disorders at the same time.
The perception of what you've contributed becomes as important as what you've actually done.
James blames the changing nature of work. In the past, jobs were straightforward: you made stuff, and you were compensated accordingly. Now, in many service industries (PR, finance, TV) it is hard to say who should take credit. Triads thrive with such ambiguity, mastering how to accentuate their part in the positive, while downplaying their negatives.
"The perception of what you've contributed becomes as important as what you've actually done," James says. "Whether you get promoted and how much you get paid depends largely on the subjective valuation of your boss. That means that office politics becomes more important. Making your boss like you, and encouraging them to believe you are doing a good job, is as important as actually doing a good job."
Comment: The book Snakes in Suits by Babiak and Hare is highly recommended reading on this subject. The only defense we have is to educate ourselves as much as possible about this intra-species predator in our midst.