Psychopaths in the C-suite: Fred Kiel at TEDxBGI

Fred Kiel talks about his research that uncovers the most effective personality characteristics in leadership.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@sieracki001]

From what I've seen: 1) Results don't matter, as long as there is enough money to grab it doesn't matter 2) It's not about managing, or performance, it's about fitting in 3) If your boss is a bully you will be one too, or you are gone 4) People are promoted based on the halo effect not any objective criteria (skills, certifications, degrees) 5) Managers are give 100% latitude, they can do or say anything they want to fit their personal agenda

[@glynisthomson6310]

had

[@andreeapalici3970]

I totally agree with all your points. My former boss promoted someone who plagiarized something two weeks before, even though plagiarism is supposed to be prohibited when you do research.

[@chicxulub2947]

@@andreeapalici3970 When dealing with leadership it's all about domination and control. Dominate the market. Control the Neighborhood... Dominate the Economy. Dominate the World. The means don't matter... Maximum efficiency to reach these goals is what really matters.

[@beenaplumber8379]

@@chicxulub2947 Did you guys watch the talk? Do you not believe the research he presented? Or are you just talking about the low-character leaders?

[@aboomalacani5829]

I have seen these points throughout my career. Greed is a terrible thing. It has infiltrated healthcare to the point that the patient is a means to an end- getting rich. If you are not "in the club" on this issue they do everything they can to ruin you are run you off.

[@catherinagianella1896]

I am so happy you exist Fred Kiel!! Thank you for a presentation that has fuelled my life's mission like you wouldn't believe. As an executive and life coach I arrived at the conclusion that lack of high human values is the number one cause of failure and pain in people s lives. Aspiring to change or improve that one on Ceo at a time...one person at a time.

[@owl6218]

its such a relief to hear this, that good old fashioned strength of character is relevant, after all. May be the businesses of future will aim to integrate with the society instead of just making a mount everest of money, as companies and ceos

[@KimberCatLuna]

I have been thinking about this exact need for years and something that lately has been nagging me as urgent & then I saw this. I'm absolutely convinced this issue is one of the most important issues we must face in this country. Right now. There are too many shattered lives on the highway behind these types of people. I can imagine the staggering return on assets of the health & even economy of our country. This work you are doing is so important. Thank you!!! Kimberly

[@rachaelosullivan3477]

What a wonderful talk. Restores my faith in humanity today. Thank you.

[@myronww]

Please do another similar study on the effects of character in politics

[@alysencameron361]

He did. They're the same as corporate.

[@Game-Garden]

The corporate world and political one are two sides of the same coin. Now more than ever corporations are hiring lobbyists to influence legislation

[@chicxulub2947]

@@Game-Garden Technocratic Corporatocracy

[@fredkiel1895]

Thank you for sharing with others. It IS important stuff and the more people who view this the better! Thank you. Fred Kiel

[@lorainhamilton7545]

There are not enough words to thank you for taking the initative for gather this information. Thank you immensley!

[@maryhennessy1397]

Thank you Fred for sharing your research. I hope your dreams come true!

[@stephaniedegange2737]

thank you so much for your research and telling us your dreams for corporate leaders

[@durgatruex5553]

Caveat to the finding that "character can be taught" *3:35. It can, up to a certain age. Once the personality splits and manifests as a Cluster B personality disorder (officially now diagnosed around or after age 18 for Anti-social Personality Disorder ie. psychopathy and sociopathy- before 18 it is referred to as "Oppositional Defiance Disorder" and considered not to have fully crystalized in the personality yet). The reason these are referred to as "personality disorders" instead of "mental disorders" is that they are not chemical imbalances in the brain which can be treated with therapy and medication, but they are fundamental flaws in the personality that once fully formed can not ever be changed or improved. Cluster B spectrum disorders include: Narcissists, Psychopaths/Sociopaths (ASD), Borderlines, and Histrionics. If one of these shows up in your immediate circle, turn around and find another circle.

[@t.l.1610]

Durga Truex - I literally jumped up and down with excitement reading your comment. Intelligent, accurate, and on point. I’ve been writing variations of your post on different psych-related videos for a long time and have been pretty discouraged by discussions. People seem to have difficulty understanding psychopathy (ASPD), and/or personality disorders in general vs. mental illness. Very glad I read yours!!

[@uneafv3302]

All the disorders on the list have one thing in common, those ppl will hurt themselves to get revenge on another person. Also the lack of flexibility of these folks is mind boggling. They are blind to consequences in a way that is infuriating. The difference between the classifications is the variation in the direction in which they direct their harmful actions.

[@sideswiped6874]

the "fake self" has no character, it only acts

[@healingdiscovery4436]

I was thinking that too. You really can't change those characters. Better to get rid of them. But it is VERY hard to.

[@myriamguns2162]

The recent consensus among mental health professionals is that BPD is treatable and recovery possible. Just look at Dr Daniel Fox's channel for a start.. And he is by no means the only one.

[@leeshamare]

Excellent talk. Important stuff. Thank you Mr. Kiel. I'll be sharing this with others as well as referencing your findings to further my own moral growth.

[@amobbzful]

EXCELLENT talk. What a great guy.

[@tracysmith3051]

Such interesting research and glad the data is out and confirms with experiences I have had in my career.

[@robkall1]

hopeful, positive results-- thanks-- a nice bridging between positive psychology and an important understanding of psychopaths-- showing that the bottom line does better when integrity is valued and invested in, instead of dishonesty and psychopathic behavior.

[@politereminder6284]

This is wonderful research! Thank you for doing this.

[@KongLuvs]

I would take Fred's hopes for the future considerably further. Character should be core curriculum for children as soon as they begin school. (I'm not talking about any kind of religous teaching, either. I'm strictly speaking of character training.) You would have much greater success reaching minds that are not yet fully formed, and the yields for society at large would be geometrically greater. I would make the analogy of teaching and training young children how to eat and exercise correctly, as opposed to waiting until they are in college and heavily entrenched in a sedentary lifestyle with abysmal eating habits before doing that same teaching and training. It isn't hard to guess which would be more successful.

[@Devin_Stromgren]

But who decides what constitutes good character?

[@opheliaaf2457]

Determining the true character of a person is “more complicated than that”, as you mentioned.

[@LarryKuhn1]

Excellent information for consultants and business schools!

[@debbielong7957]

Love this talk, hope this idea becomes mainstream and psychopaths/sociopaths lose their jobs because that's the only way I think they will learn empathy.

[@manuelmagro9173]

What a lovely honest man - I hope you continue your honesty. Jesus is the greatest mentor, He is the highest up.

[@tpu55]

"Welcome to CostCo... I love you... Welcome to CostCo... I love you..."

[@antoinettenovella1630]

Incredible content, thank you.

[@GurunathHari]

Love this!

[@joshbirkholz]

This was well done. Very valuable research.

[@archaicrevival7878]

It's funny that we require data to confirm something so obvious: your character is important. Whatever it takes - objective data, subjective experience, whatever. Let's remember that each one of us thinks, says, does and feels has consequence. What do you choose to do with power. Perhaps become response able for what you think, say, do and feel?

[@6u..]

great talk, seems to incorporate Stephen Covey's '7 habits of highly effective people'. loved it.

[@jodigent]

Great research and wonderful results.

[@christopherarmstrong2710]

Fantastic talk! Thanks for this!

[@RentHomes123]

This talk should have millions of views. It's right on target.

[@susanparker767]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@chensun6156]

Hello Mr. Kiel,Though I agree with you assessment on character's impact, what remains is what to do with the huge percentage of people who lack or have very different perspectives or ideologies? It's difficult to terminate all these, impossible to change all these. So, as described in earlier times-- Confucius advocated the righteous ruler (men with character), yet Lao Tzu recommended that the ruler gather and entertain the (unethical) clowns so that the righteous workforce gets the job done.

[@chisomokolie3156]

This is so impactful, so insightful and so enlightening! Awesome!🔥🔥🔥

[@FindTheTRUTH337]

“High character leaders indeed do deliver better business results….Character can be taught.” 4 Moral Principles: Integrity, Responsibility, Forgiveness, and Compassion. Return on Character: return on assets and workforce engagement.

[@annwitek260]

Thank you

[@Fishingbirb]

Wow that just validated everything that I felt and thought about my old boss, now I know he was a Psychopath! And the reason I quit

[@RiaG777]

Excellent work!

[@themicrolearninginstitute]

I love this talk. Is there an updated one?

[@Thomasw540]

I have been interested in leadership since I got back from Vietnam in 1971. In fact, I became aware of a crises in leadership in the corporate community that has become the rampant. I have recently become acquainted with the Seven Transformations of Leadership and your construct for Character fits into the continuum of personal expression it represents. It strikes me that your construct is particularly useful as a inventory for individuals who otherwise consider themselves untouchable in a corporate or public sector role. My own inclination is to see the sort of dysfuction you characterize as psychopathic as an epistemological discontinuity, some of which is acquired from deliberate political alienation and some of it from a congenital impulse to seek out this alienation. For example, the Self-Esteem model is based on the espistemological fallacy that Passion is the organizing principle of Reason Now, as a diagnostic, Self Esteem is a somewhat useful construct, but as an framework for generating personal growth, it is an engine of narcissism, at the very least, and produces the antithesis of Character as you define it. So, I am heartened to have discovered your model and the research it reflects.

[@mikemiloserdoff6122]

I found TEDx Talks thru a search on disruptive people, which, when in the workplace, is known to be corporate psychopathy, as I learned. It would be interesting to know if there is a positive correlation between workplace stress at any given moment, and the degree to which a corporate psychopath manipulates the world around him or her self. Interesting topic that destroys corporate morale in the name of selfishness and psychological problems on the part of the psychopath.

[@fredkiel1895]

Thanks for your comments, Kimberly. Agree with your sense urgency -- spread the word!

[@adamweisshaup]

Wow, happy and well motivated employees increase value to their companies. That MUST be an indication that the TOP level executive is a psychopath working at a relatively failing company. Smh. Good job.

[@lotlotdg4300]

The problem is low moral character will not admit that they needed to change or improved their character..

[@bluntonglutine9160]

humanity as while nobody is perfect as while and everyone on earth that is human is obstinate by nature!

[@ToStand2]

Good conference :)

[@whisperingsage]

The & habits of highly Effective People has been around since 1991 and promotes CHARACTER and guiding Principles, and though it is popular, and amazed that there aren't more leaders that know this stuff. I am always shocked at the unethical things that go on in nursing homes and how unethical the leadership often is.

[@fredy796]

A long term responsibility and a nice mindset will affect all workers on your casy buz. It will continue and get better and better. Unless you deal with bad habits and bad behaviours.

[@linenexcelmodal]

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. HR DEPARTMENT (Worldwide ) should develop latest methodolog for screening the incumbent before the hiring. It will help to build up healthy corporate world free from viruses of disturbed personalities.🙏

[@willardchi2571]

It would be nice if I could hear it. Louder!

[@jawanzadiame7501]

Which works better for conquering people and taking lands and resources, psychopathy or high character? What about in regards to running a sweatshop corporation?

[@sherryls4999]

I believe ,in & endorse ur findings. However as a real life employee of a huge for profit medical care corporation, I've seen myself ,& too many coworkers blackballed. Systemic abuse in every aspect of bullying. My question to u is how the CEO's perceive this mass exodus of employees (highly valued & in critical demand) how do thay explain this extreme attrition rate & extremely poor supervisor surveys by employees? R they being purposefully obscure, missing the point.

[@sky4you2b]

Gosh I want to work for costco

[@hanslund308]

Doubt this study included amazon.

[@mtacaddress2659]

Schneider National corporation need to watch this video!

[@zoz2imus]

Sample of CEOs biased by absence of psychopaths among them. Ratings of the proportion of the time that CEOs with whom a random sample of employees were probably not very well acquainted, display the target-characteristics is likely an unreliable metric. What randomization-method was used to select the employees to rate the CEOs? What are the competencies of compassion?

[@myroseaccount]

How do I get a mentor?

[@MrFaisel34]

Psychopaths thrive in institutions like the University of Pennsylvania because they get results, like a stream of awards and grants coming into the institution for research. Psychopaths possess drive and focus undiluted by empathy or remorse.

[@HiddenWen]

In this capitalistic world, they thrive.

[@davecullins1606]

Which is why they also commit fraud like it was nothing.

[@fredkiel1895]

Fairness is a universal moral principle - people are "wired" to embrace basic fairness and reciprocity. Glad to see Obama emphasize this in his State of the Union speech.

[@kevindavenport6204]

Seems like corporations do everything they can to hire and promote these sociopaths. It is more important to keep people in line and rule over them. If it is proven that these people costs companies money why are these people always the ones in charge and have the biggest salaries?

[@Madronaxyz]

The volume it's much lower than the other 20 KZbin videos I've listened to today. I can't understand what the man is saying

[@motorbiking18650]

hmmm... but is it cause and effect? Do under performing C-suite people turn in to psychos and do high performing C-suiters have time/money to care?

[@zoz2imus]

Each of the character-scores on the graph is represented by a single, small-diameter dot, with no indication of the range of variation, for the aggregate of employee-ratings. It seems incredible that the data could be as tightly clustered, indicating an unreal degree of consistency, among employee-ratings. Mr. Kiel showed a graph, on which appeared four black dots, indicating four almost psychopathic CEOs, then he said that, in the study, the investigators encountered one, whose name was Tom. What about the other three almost psychopathic CEOs? Didn't the investigators encounter them too? When the investigators interviewed employees of Tom's company, the only company in the talk, with an almost-psychopathic CEO, of wthathich Mr. Kiel gave an anecdotal account, he said, "the employees said that all of senior management would alter business-outcomes, if they thought that it was to their advantage to do so." The phrase, "alter business outcomes," is arguably ambiguous. The mission of senior management of any company consists of "altering business-outcomes" for the better: improving productivity, efficiency, profits, return on investment, etc. If senior management fails to "alter business-outcomes" for the better, the result is growth-stagnation and dissatisfaction of stockholders. If he means "alter reports of business-outcomes," as in, "exaggerate figures on financial statements," e.g., profits, return on investment, etc., i.e., report that business-outcomes be better than they actually are, that's dishonest and I assume that that's what he meant, but it would be more credible if the statement were, "the employees said that all of senior management had altered business-outcomes for the years ____, _____, _____, and _____, because they probably thought that it as to their advantage to do so." His statement, as given, is conjectural and the question is, "how would the employees know that?"

[@PeterDrinnan]

Now I want to work at Costco.

[@davecullins1606]

The science term for the great kind leader he talks about is "Transformative leadership". They're basically Marvel super hero leaders.

[@yoganature3598]

👀 contexts research

[@radiosification]

How was the study they conducted at all useful when no psychopaths were actually in the study?

[@jozefhlavac4341]

I think, those were mentioned at the beginning of the presentation. They are in the prison, now.

[@AnnaMishel]

peoples habits are determined by their conscience. They are immutable!

[@lisabacktothefuture7941]

I don't think all businesses and therefore all CEOs need to be people oriented to best achieve business aims?

[@shanemartin8904]

And what of the DSM V - and the PSYHCOPATH/ASPD CRITERIA? i.e having a history of delinquency, conduct prob's in childhood/adolescence, repetitive criminal activity ( as determined, and known to be factual by whom???) My question essentially is; that to be diagnosed as a ASPD then you must be diagnosed officially by a psychiatric professional. Did you use the DSM 5 criteria to determine if someone in your study was almost/is an actual Psychopath? Who determined that? Where did you get the participants personal criminal history from, particularly when you made a statement that psychopaths 'just dont turn up'? One must be very judicious when using the term Psychopath or determining a person to be a sufferer of Psychopath/AntiSocial PD...You wouldn't want employees making their own judgements about their managers being a sufferer of this disorder

[@Patricia-vd9xh]

As a licensed psychotherapist with a prior career in corporate communications, I want to respond to your point. The definitions in the DSM for psychopaths are formed by research of patients from lower classes in government clinics, rather than private clinics, including people convicted of crimes. When psychopaths come from families with money who enable them to become educated, they do not go to public clinics but receive confidential private psychological services. When psychological surveys are performed among professionals, the outcome is that functional psychopaths are most common among doctors (especially surgeons) and lawyers.

[@PersonWConscience]

Well Mr. Fred, Since I have already been practicing the three things you advised which made my SUP , the psychopath, thinks of it as my weakness, won't you have any other advice for me? How about advise like ..putting him where he belongs, i.e. the loser club?

[@carpejkdiem]

You're a hater. Wow! And people like you want to be leaders. Future looks bleak concidering.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

in the asylum. where he cannot harm anyone or ever be taken seriously again. i lack forgivness. others < myself. and i think psychopathy should be screened for in all feilds. empathy ironically is a strength.

[@missustoad1]

Psychopaths are attracted to corporations because they are allowed to do what they want with no regard to anyone or anything out. It is also very hard to fire them. They also know where the skeletons are, since they have often created them. Question: If business did drive more of them out -- where else would they turn up? Military?

[@na27000]

Whenever they can get power or get a good image for themselves like NGOs, Lawyers, Doctors, Politicians, they are everywhere.

[@nexfortzozo1655]

i don't get it why these dislikes?

[@na27000]

From Psycopaths for sure 😂

[@EiziEizz]

This is a great talk, but i take issue with his belief that character can be taught. Since empathy is mostly a genetic trait, lack of empathy (aka psychopathy and narcissism) cannot be cured. The only way to treat empathy dysfunctional people is to put them in camps away from decent humans, so they can't harm them.

[@yossarianmnichols9641]

What about Jack Welch? He was called Neutron Jack on Wall Street.

[@twintwo1429]

How many of the 100 CEOs, signed up, thinking that they would be a shining example of a good CEO?

[@basementbrasscompany9498]

Just watched a documentary on the dark history of psychology. It was very very bad. Iti is the only science that has no empirical data behind it.

[@KatJ3st]

Which character types jump off buildings when their company goes bankrupt...?

[@fredkiel1895]

Psychopaths certainly DID get results at the U of Pennsylvania -- disgrace for the Institution, millions and millions of dollars in settlement costs, legal fees, etc...Short term eventually becomes long-term...

[@EasyFunAITraining]

The sample size was only 32 CEO's?

[@redsloane879]

MiniGameTech N=79 for the first part, 32 is the outliers of the study.

[@jerkfudgewater147]

The audio is TOO muddled and quiet

[@jamesparlane9289]

Yeah. Bosses with a sense of fair play will remove a toxic work environment by osmosis.

[@wizardatmath]

Interesting concept, but his logic is flawed. Didn't rule out possibility that businesses with low return on assets pressured the ceo to act like a psychopath.

[@grzegorz16100]

That is what I thought.

[@adamweisshaup]

Also that a clever psychopath may be self aware enough to hire middle management that works well with people and thus boots morale.

[@infoanalysis]

I dont agree. I found the best CEOs were Pychopaths. Also you could never get a screening tool. Pychopaths can always game them anyway.

[@MaccyjoeDraws]

Wow, so they found a unicorn(the boss)...in this world??? I'm not sure I believe this, at all.

[@sacredclaycountryinn5230]

Read my book - published in 2015. Return on Character published by Harvard. All the data is in the Appendix - make up you own mind by evaluating my research design and the actual data. Let me know then, what you think. I'd like to hear from you. Fred Kiel

[@Devin_Stromgren]

It has never made sense to me that "insider trading" is illegal in the first place.

[@timeWaster76]

Martha Stewart ? is not on par with Madoff! that ridiculous.

[@redsloane879]

timeWaster76 Read Snakes in Suits by Robert Hate & Paul Babiak....also Without Conscience by Robert Hare.... You may change your mind.

[@xrtjrp-ix1rb]

dave’s not here...

[@morwickchesterham3875]

Apparently Amazon is an anomaly according to this fairytale model of character and business success...

[@grzegorz16100]

I worked in costco UK and it was shit!!!!

[@franknhonest]

I think the clue is in the "UK" bit

[@user-hg3yz1zz2p]

But people are disposable…

[@P1G5CanFly2]

I do not understand the purpose of naming the 4 people committed white collar crime in that presentation. The implicit assumption of they are in the same league is a bit outside of the usual expectation.

[@nemonous5404]

How to hide your character flaws. Hide behind a label psychologist/psychiatrist.

[@caroljoywolf]

Sounds like #45.

[@Schmaj01]

💯

[@welcometogulag9269]

Ted bunny on Ted talks

[@MariaM-up2he]

Is funny that this video is supported by Sony. A company that supports narcissist corporate bullies.

[@KafkasCat]

Maria M I’m not sure ‘funny’ is the word. I can’t attest to specifically Sony, but companies that foster bullying and harassment are often trying to improve the problem by identifying incorrect causes.

[@ClareBearBunny]

He talks so quietly...

[@guillermodelatorre8592]

That sounded very much like our president

[@lisabacktothefuture7941]

I prefer Mbti.

[@ToStand2]

+Lisa Back to the Future lol

[@scottlaux6934]

Trump. Tens of millions adore him.

[@carlosaraujo77]

"alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

[@geraldoarnoldo6440]

That's so funny! I love it!