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Bosses Love Manipulators for Career Gain
13 Apr
Summary
- Managers favor manipulative candidates for personal advancement.
- Dark traits in employees can advance short-term goals.
- Long-term costs of hiring manipulative staff are significant.
A recent study from the University of British Columbia suggests that manipulative employees are actively favored by managers pursuing their own career advancement. Researchers found that bosses may hire individuals with "dark personality traits" if they perceive them as beneficial for their personal goals. This preference was identified across experiments involving over 1,200 managers.
While these self-serving tactics might offer short-term advantages, the study cautions against significant long-term risks. These include potential harm to the organization and employees who may act against the company's best interests. Such individuals might be chosen for difficult tasks like layoffs, as they are perceived to be better equipped to handle them.
The research also touched upon jobs attracting individuals with psychopathic traits, noting a draw towards hands-on work like mechanics and engineering. These findings suggest that the need for power and status can drive career choices, and that manipulative personalities, despite potential downsides, are prevalent across industries.
