Slate Money Money Talks: Psychopathy and Success
23 snips
Apr 14, 2026 
Leanne ten Brinke, Associate Professor of Psychology at UBC and author of Poisonous People, studies deception, dominance, and dark personality traits. She discusses how these traits show up in leadership and hiring, cues that reveal toxic behavior, and practical steps for managing manipulative coworkers and bosses. Conversations cover workplace culture, recruitment signals, and when power amplifies harmful tendencies.
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Strong Leadership Signals Can Mask Harmful Traits
- Traits that look like 'strong leadership' (dominance, confidence) can masquerade as competence during crises.
- That initial attraction often backfires because dominance-driven leaders prioritize control over trust or expertise.
Write Job Ads To Discourage Dark Traits
- Avoid wording job ads that glorify impulsive action if you want to screen out dark-trait applicants.
- Emphasize collaboration, process, and straightforward communication to attract lower-narcissism candidates.
Use Small Common Ground Before Delivering Bad News
- If you can't leave a job with a dark-trait boss, build tiny common ground before difficult conversations.
- Start with trivial shared info (same school, hometown, sports) and frame criticism as a question to soften reactions.
