Corporate organisational bastards toxic behaviour, or Management 101

Prior to Le Petit Hotel, in a previous life, I was an employee of an organisation which went through a period (10 plus years ago), when it was fashionable to contract in CEO’s, CIO’s, HOD’s etc., to facilitate restructuring, downsizing, etc., within. Last year ( Sat.7 Aug 2010) , a Fairfax article in the Christchurch Press newspaper brought a wry smile to my face as I read the eye catching headline – “Why bastards rise to the top” ( of the corporate ladder). Even the article’s accompanying executive photo that had the title – “Psycho in a suit” …broadened the smile I already had even from just scanning the title. This article is well worth a read if you’re like me, have an interest in organisational management, and have encountered first hand the havoc that can be/is usually wrought by such individuals during their generally brief period of employment. The article also goes on to mention the obvious weaknesses in psychometric testing as a human resource selection/placement tool.
It is a raw fact that organisations will occasionally deliberately facilitate the employment of “nasty bit of goods” bully type change managers ( CEO’s) or restructuring agents, particularly if the introduction of such individuals is seen as “desirable” by an already toxic organisational culture.