Dark Triad at Work

In the early 2000s, psychologists Delroy Paulhus and Kevin Williams coined the term ‘Dark Triad’ which refers to three types of personality traits: Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy. The first things that may come to your mind when you think about these personality traits are movie villains or callous CEOs, but you’d be surprised to know that individuals with these traits exist in our everyday work settings, hiding behind affable faces, and sometimes, even the demurest coworker can have an underlying shady side to them which others might be unaware of.  Well, it’s all a part of the intricate tapestry of human behaviour at the end.

Understanding of how these Dark Triad personality traits play a role in workplace dynamics can help deal with the challenges posed by these personalities. Recognising these traits can help foster a more positive and healthy work environment, which will provide a place for collaboration and cooperation to thrive. It’s important to remember that recognising these personality traits, should not be about labelling these individuals as “bad” or as the “villain” but about finding ways to manage their problematic behaviours.

What is Dark Triad personality?

When we think of challenging traits at work or in life, certain traits often come to mind: manipulation, self-centeredness, or even lack of empathy. The Dark Triad comprises three distinct, yet overlapping personality traits, namely, Machiavellianism, Narcissism and Psychopathy. In contrast to clinical personality traits, these traits are distributed normally within the population, i.e., individuals can score low, average or high, and is entirely reflective of normal functioning. 

Machiavellianism

This trait was named after Italian political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli, who wrote in his famous book ‘The Prince’ about the use of amoral, deceptive methods to maintain power. People with this trait tend to be manipulative, and cold towards others and have little regard for morality. Without remorse, these individuals can easily sacrifice personal relationships to achieve their goals, power and money.

In the organizational setting, these individuals are often experts in office politics – they can bend rules and easily manipulate people and situations. They have a cynical view towards others due to which they are more likely to cheat and betray others.

Narcissism

The word ‘narcissism’, has been derived from the Greek myth of Narcissus who fell in love with himself, on seeing his reflection in a pool of water, and this unrequited love ultimately led to his tragic demise. It is characterized by an inflated sense of self and grandiosity. Milder forms of narcissism are harmless; however, it can be problematic if individuals have high levels of narcissism. These individuals are often charming on the surface level, but deep down they tend to be insecure, have a low sense of self-esteem and lack empathy, hence show little regard for others.

In the organizational setting, narcissists usually like to be in the spotlight and enjoy the attention and recognition for their achievements. They have an exaggerated sense of entitlement which leads to them taking credit for their coworker’s work and getting involved in bullying others. They also tend to prioritize their personal glory above everything else, which may drain team morale and hurt the collaborative environment.

Psychopathy

Psychopathy is considered as the most ‘toxic’ trait out of the three. These people display high levels of impulsive, manipulative and antisocial tendencies. They do not have the ability to form emotional bonds and often act without considering the consequences. Despite the negative characteristics associated with this trait, not all psychopaths turn out to be criminals, rather many are functioning members of the society.

In the organizational setting, these individuals lack remorse and are more of a risk taker – often taking unethical risks, especially in high-stakes industries like finance and law. They tend to be dishonest, manipulative, irresponsible, emotionally shallow and have a superficial charm. They may also engage in illegal activities to achieve their goals.

So how can you identify these traits in the workplace?

Dominik Schwarzinger and Heinz Schuler (2016) introduced a scale called Dark Triad of Personality at Work (TOP) which measures certain work-related aspects of the Dark Triad traits. The following are the three main factors used in the scale which helps identify the Dark Triad personality traits at work: -

a) Self-centred work approach: It assesses an inflated sense of self-worth with respect to one’s leadership skills, influence or authority over coworkers, tendency towards risk-taking behaviour and their significance within the workplace.

b) Enforcement-focused work attitude: It assesses one’s strong belief in their abilities and strengths to gain success in their workplace, along with their emotional toughness, lack of empathy and sceptical attitude towards colleagues.

c) Uncommitted-impulsive work style: This reflects a disorganized work style in relation to reckless or abrupt actions. It also involves a lack of planning, a willingness or readiness to the break rules, and use of deceitful methods to obtain a professional advantage.

Besides psychological assessment, certain observable behaviour patterns can also help identify those who possess these traits, such as: -

a) Machiavellianism: These people often display a very transactional approach towards human relationships, with their main focus lying on how others can benefit them. They also engage in displaying manipulative behaviours, pleasing others in power, and withholding important information, for personal gain.

b) Narcissism: These individuals are easier to spot due to their desire to seek attention and admiration from others. They like to boast about their achievements and display an exaggerated sense of self-love, to seek attention. These individuals have a high sense of self-entitlement and can often be seen dominating conversations, dismissing feedback from coworkers or superiors, and becoming defensive when criticised.

c) Psychopathy: These individuals mostly appear to be calm, even under high pressure situations but can also be impulsive or reckless when pursuing their goals. They lack empathy which is evident in their disregard for other’s emotions. They also display thrill-seeking tendencies and an amoral attitude towards rules or certain work-related aspects.

Organizational culture and work environment also play a very important role when it comes to these individuals thriving at their workplace. Organizations with a negative work culture characterized by high-stress levels or unhealthy competition may allow these individuals to thrive more. On the other hand, a positive work environment where collaboration and cooperation are encouraged may find these traits to be hardly noticeable.

How can organizations effectively deal with the Dark Triad Traits?

• Organizations need to be strategic and mindful when approaching problems related to the Dark Triad. These personality traits tend to thrive in toxic environments; hence organizations must build a positive work culture. The following can be considered when dealing with this problem: -
• Individuals exhibiting Dark Triad behaviours often break boundaries and engage in unethical behaviour to achieve what they want. Therefore, organizations should have strict and transparent policies on ethical behaviour to help mitigate such problems. Firms should also set clear code of conduct and behavioural expectations which distinguishes acceptable behaviour from unacceptable behaviour and should enforce consequences when employees engage in unethical behaviours.
• A positive workplace which fosters a collaborative and cooperative work environment can act as a buffer against Dark Triad behaviours. Organizations can foster such an environment by encouraging teamwork, focusing on shared goals and open communication, which can in turn, help reduce room for manipulation or deceit. Organizations can also emphasise on rewarding group achievements and collaboration over individual achievement.
• Feedback is very crucial when it comes to early identification and correction of negative workplace behaviours. Individuals with these traits may not be consciously aware of the harm they cause; therefore, regular feedback and one-on-one coaching sessions can help them gain awareness of the behavioural concerns, and further guide them towards a more constructive behaviour.
• These individuals tend to thrive in organizations with unstructured management systems, therefore building a well-defined leadership hierarchy, a clear chain of command and a decision-making process can also act as a buffer against these individuals.
• Common aspects of individuals with the Dark Triad traits are a lack of empathy and shallow emotions. To deal with this, organizations can provide EQ-related training that may help these individuals become more aware of the negative behaviours that they unconsciously exhibit and may further help them to improve their interpersonal relationships. Organizations can offer workshops or coaching sessions focused on empathy and emotional intelligence.

But is it all bad?

While the Dark Triad traits are usually associated with negative behaviours, surprisingly, they can also have certain positive aspects. When managed effectively, these traits can turn out to be of benefit to both the individual and the organization at large.

a) Machiavellianism: These individuals tend to be very good at dealing with complicated social or political situations. Their ability to think ahead, strategize and take calculated steps, combined with their ability to negotiate and persuade, makes them excellent at leadership roles, or roles that require managing high-stakes projects.

b) Narcissism: These individuals tend to be very ambitious and confident and have the potential to become charismatic leaders with the ability to inspire and motivate others to achieve bigger goals. Their drive to strive for achievement and not being afraid to aim big, helps them excel in entrepreneurial and leadership roles - where the primary focuses are to project confidence and lead a team.

c) Psychopathy: These individuals usually tend to be impetuous and fearless. They have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations and make quick decisions, without getting bogged down by emotions. They also tend to thrive in high-risk environments, such as financial trading or law enforcement. This trait can be a huge asset in times of crisis management.

Well, the three personality traits - Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy – that make up the Dark Triad traits are not something we just get to see in movies, but we can find them in people we interact with in our day-to-day lives, for example, in our everyday work settings. Recognising and addressing these traits can help organizations create strategies to manage and mitigate their effects on the work culture. By fostering a collaborative and transparent work culture, the negative impact associated with these traits can be minimized. Instead, the strengths that the individuals with these tendencies bring can be harnessed. The key to dealing with these personalities isn’t about slapping a label on them, but rather constructively managing their behaviours, to cut down on the office drama and prevent manipulative power plays.