Book Review: David Gillespie’s Toxic at Work

Book Review: David Gillespie’s Toxic at Work.

Occasionally you read a book that changes your beliefs.  This is one of those books.

If you are not aware of it, one of my core values is promoting the 7MTF people profiling system.  I have always believed that one of its great strengths is identifying and handling corporate psychopaths.  Gillespie’s objective is to teach you how to survive your psychopathic workmates, from the dominant bullies to the charming manipulators.  There is overlap here so I read the book.

It is a compelling exploration of the hidden dangers posed by workplace psychopaths. Drawing upon psychological research, historical examples, and real-life case studies, Gillespie provides you with the tools to identify, understand, and protect yourself from individuals who lack empathy and manipulate others for personal gain.

Gillespie begins by challenging the common perception of psychopaths as violent criminals, asserting that many operate undetected within corporate environments. He cites research indicating that approximately 5% of the population lacks empathy, a trait essential for building trust and fostering collaboration. In the workplace, such individuals may not engage in overtly aggressive behaviour but instead use charm, deceit, and manipulation to achieve their objectives.

My first epiphany reading the book was learning about the von Economo mirror neurons. Gillespie believe these evolved 100,000 years ago and is a brain structure that creates a simulation of another person’s emotions based on the feedback from the mirror neurons.  We don’t sympathise with someone in pain, we empathise with them. We actually feel their pain, their sorrow, their happiness, their disgust and every other emotion as if it were really happening to us. And, importantly, we automatically use that empathy in our decisions about how to behave.  In particular this leads to trust and cooperation.  Cooperation is a superpower that separates humans from even our closest relatives in the animal kingdom.  Around 95% of the population has these neurons.  Gillepsie calls these prople Humans 2.0; about 5% don’t.  They are the corporate psychopaths known as Humans 1.0.

Humans are not born with a complete set of von Economo neurons. Just prior to 42 weeks gestation we have none. At 42 weeks, that number jumps quickly to about the level of an adult chimp. By four months we have about the same number as an adult gorilla. By eight months we have around twice as many as an adult human, and then that number then steadily declines until by the age of four, we have the same amount as an adult human. Anyone who has ever had anything to do with a baby would readily agree they are pretty low on empathy. They aren’t too worried about how you feel, as long as they are changed, fed and watered. These numbers also suggest that eight-month-olds are overflowing with empathy, making them extraordinarily trusting. They always trust everybody’.

The second epiphany was the five lessons:

The first important lesson to take away from this book is that psychopaths are not executing some grand strategy. They are simply living in the moment. They have no past and they’re not worried about the future. Their lives are a minute-by-minute series of decisions about what is best for them, everybody else be damned.

This is the second lesson from this book. Psychopaths lie all the time.

The third important lesson is that psychopaths know absolutely no boundaries.  We would worry about how our decisions affect others. We would worry about what would happen to us if we were caught. And we would not do it. Our brains are wired to take account of others in our decision-making, so even if we see shortcuts that benefit us, we moderate our actions with consideration for others. We worry about the consequences, not just for us, but for everyone else as well. All of this is completely invisible to a psychopath. To them, the world is a simple place where the only question they need to answer is ‘What is the best outcome for me right here, right now?’

The fourth lesson to take from this book is that psychopaths are masters of managing impressions. They have spent their whole lives hiding in plain sight. They know they do not react in the way communities expect, and they have continuously practised looking normal. This makes them experts at noticing what we want and, if it is worth it, giving it to us.

The last lesson about psychopaths is that they will never change. They won’t have an epiphany and discover that they have been evil. Psychopathy is a hard-wired condition that cannot be reversed.

While the book is good at dealing with psychopaths and how they behave it is weak in helping you identify them.  In my Introduction Course you learn TOPDOG.

In a nutshell here is how you identify them.

Talk: talk money early on, name-drop, charming, touchy-feely.

Organisation & Position: Middlemen, Investment Bankers, Real Estate, Salesperson, Account Executives, Agents

Dress: Red and Gold.

Office: glitzy, pictures with famous people, fake art.

Gambit: On time move to first names quickly.

Strategies for Self-Protection

Recognizing the signs of psychopathic behavior is the first step toward safeguarding oneself. Gillespie offers practical advice for individuals who suspect they are dealing with a workplace psychopath:

Document Interactions: Keep detailed records of conversations and decisions to protect against gaslighting and false accusations.

Set Boundaries: Clearly define acceptable behaviour and do not tolerate manipulative tactics.

Seek Support: Engage with trusted colleagues, mentors, or human resources to discuss concerns and develop a plan of action.

Prioritize Well-being: Recognize when a situation is untenable and consider seeking opportunities elsewhere to preserve mental health.

Gillespie underscores the importance of trusting one’s instincts, noting that feelings of unease are often valid indicators of underlying issues.

Organizational Measures

Beyond individual strategies, Gillespie advocates for systemic changes within organizations to mitigate the risk posed by workplace psychopaths:

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Implement Transparent Processes: Establish clear protocols for decision-making and accountability to reduce opportunities for manipulation.

Foster Open Communication: Encourage a culture where employees feel safe to voice concerns without fear of retaliation.

Conduct Thorough Hiring Practices: Incorporate behavioural assessments and reference checks to identify potential red flags during recruitment.

Provide Training: Educate staff and management on recognizing and addressing toxic behaviours.

Conclusion

Toxic at Work serves as both a warning and a guidebook, illuminating the often-overlooked threat of workplace psychopaths. Through a blend of research, anecdotes, and actionable advice, David Gillespie empowers readers to identify toxic individuals and take steps to protect themselves and their organizations. His work is a call to vigilance, urging us to prioritize empathy and ethical behaviour in our professional lives.

Good book worth reading