This post is outside my norm for this blog, but I liked this article so much, I thought I would post it here as well as at my The Business Perspective Blog.

The article is about Keeping Psychopaths out of Your Accounting Firm by Michell Langbert.

This article has an interesting take on ethical lapses that I thought was compelling. In his article, Langbert talks about how the characteristics of a psychopath in the workplace can be mistaken for desirable traits.

He states: “..psychopathic charm and charisma can often be mistaken for leadership; psychopathic talk of imaginary goals can be mistaken for visionary leadership; and psychopathic lack of emotion can be mistaken for being in control.”

It occurs to me that this psychopathic personality may explain some of the behavior at AIG and other bailed out firms.

There is no doubt that Mr. Langbert’s article is a gripping and thought provoking read.