Why do the Bad Guys Tend to Finish First

Research has shown that individuals with "dark" personality traits, known as the Dark Triad of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy, often achieve higher objective career success compared to others. Furnham and Treglown (2021) found that those with higher scores on narcissism rated their success the highest. Paleczek et al. (2018) demonstrated that the Dark Triad traits provide incremental validity over the "bright-side" Big Five personality traits in predicting salary and leadership positions. "Bad guys" tend to come out on top primarily because of their ability to self-promote, willingness to use manipulative tactics, and boldness in taking risks.

One reason the "bad guys" finish first is their adeptness at self-promotion. Narcissists, in particular, have an inflated sense of self that leads them to express their perceived superiority confidently. Furnham and Treglown (2021) note that "narcissists feel they always outperform their co-workers" (p. 3). By exaggerating their accomplishments, they create the impression of being more competent than others, which can lead to career advancement. Paleczek et al. (2018) suggest narcissists' "sense of grandiosity leads them to express their self-perceived superiority over others publicly, for instance, by devaluing others or exaggerating their achievements" and thus, "they often create the impression of being more competent and effective than others" (p. 441). This helps explain the positive link between narcissism and objective success.

People with the Dark Triad often employ manipulative tactics and, sometimes, unethical behavior to manoeuvre their way to success. Machiavellians, for example, have a strong desire for power and status (often conferred by money and higher positions) and, thus, would gladly employ frowned-upon tactics to benefit themselves. In their study, Paleczek et al. (2018) found that "machiavellians use their ability to employ manipulative strategies as well as their willingness for unethical behaviour to gain a competitive advantage at work, which helps them to increase objective career outcomes" (p. 442). They further found that Machiavellians are willing to withhold important knowledge or information to make others dependent on them. When this is insufficient to maintain an edge over their colleagues, they will "blow the whistle" on them to boost their position (Paleczek et al., 2018, p. 442). These manipulative tactics help them achieve leadership roles more often than others.

Lastly, people with the Dark Triad traits are instinctively bolder, on average, than their co-workers, who rank lower in these traits. Being more daring, they are more likely to take risks and make harder decisions than their colleagues, often propelling their success. Their inherent fearlessness and lack of remorse make them more comfortable firing employees, lying in negotiations, and intimidating others to gain a competitive edge. Paleczek et al. (2018) found that "persons with higher psychopathic tendencies might easily dismiss employees, bluff and lie in business negotiations to achieve advantages or remorselessly intimidate others"—a trait which helps them "achieve prestigious positions" (p. 442). Their research further found that "putting emotions aside when making decisions," a key personality of people with dark traits, "makes them appear more competent" and "foster[s] career advancement" (p. 441). Their audacity in doing whatever it takes often pays off.

In conclusion, research has shown that individuals with Dark Triad traits tend to achieve more objective career success. Higher salaries and leadership positions can often define this objective success compared to others. Their ability to confidently self-promote and create positive impressions, use manipulative strategies to gain advantages over others, and their bold risk-taking all help them get ahead. While the "bad guys" may not be the most pleasant co-workers, their dark personality traits provide an edge in competitive workplace environments that allow them to finish first.