Toxic at Work: Surviving Your Psychopathic Workmates, from the Dominant Bullies to the Charming Manipulators

Most bullies are psychopaths, but not all psychopaths are immediately recognized as bullies. Some blind us with their charm and dazzle us with their success. Some are ferociously talented and startlingly effective (at least in the short term). But they all share a common trait that makes them highly dangerous: they don’t have empathy.

Research tells us that one human in twenty has no empathy. Empathy is the exclusively human ingredient that enables trust, forges bonds and allows teams to work and workplaces to thrive. It is why we are able to build cities and play football (unlike our pets). The workplace psychopath is not interested in cooperative effort; they are interested in power, glory and self-advancement. And they will trample over anyone who gets in their way, destroying careers, teams and, sometimes, organizations.

Using research and stories drawn from the realms of history, politics, sports and business, Gillespie explains how psychopaths see the world and illustrates their devastating impact on individuals and workplaces. He shows us how to identify a psychopath and how to manage them to lessen their impact, be they a boss, a client, a colleague or a supplier. He shows individuals how to self-protect and organizations how to use trust, transparency and teamwork to insulate against the corrosive effect of these individuals.

Searing in its honesty, unflinching in its analysis of where we empaths go wrong time and time again, this is the guide you need to spot, manage and eject the workplace psycho, once and for all.

Former corporate lawyer, co-founder of a successful software company and technology investor, David Gillespie is the author of the Sweet Poison books, Big Fat Lies, Free Schools, Toxic Oil, Eat Real Food, The Eat Real Food Cookbook, Taming Toxic People, Teen Brain, The Good Fat Guide and Brain Reset. He lives in Brisbane with his wife and six children