So what if my boss is a psychopath? Maybe he is the person with the exact right wiring to get the job done. Psychological labels have become weapons to attack people. And in most cases I don’t think they help. My boss was an ex special forces commander in the SAS. They have been labelled by the media as ‘friendly psychopaths’. The people who can ruthlessly dish out violence when necessary. People with a fanatical obsession with ‘winning’ and getting the job done. In my interactions with him, I get the unnerving sense that if it came down to it, he could kill me if necessary, then go home to his family and sleep like a baby. He is aggressive, ruthless, smart and charismatic with a presence that have not witnessed before. It got me thinking about what a psychologist said to me once, that everyone has their place in the world. The term [sychopath has become a pop-culture term to demonise people who are wired differently. But the world needs people like him. I am 100% certain that if for instance, there was a person in our team that was vulnerable and was being attacked, he would unleash a demonic fury to protect. We need people like him. Regardless of what side of the fence you sit on with respect to the war on terror, people like him were deployed to kill individuals of groups who were planning to attack civilians, and successfully did on a number of occasions. Undoubtedly the world is a safer place without groups like Al-qaeda running free. Yes, he can be an intolerable dick. An egomaniac who shamelessly name drops people in his network whenever he gets the chance. But his relentless energy and resilience is a major reason why the company I am working for is succeeding — this company is for-purpose that brings a net benefit to society. I for one, am grateful for the friendly psychopath in my life.
