Is This the First Corporate Psychopath?

In 1629, the Dutch East India Company ship Batavia was en route to Java in the East Indies, but it tragically ran aground on the Abrolhos Islands off the west coast of Australia. Out of the 200 survivors, food and fresh water quickly became scarce. The ship's officers fled in a sailboat toward Java for assistance, leaving a leadership void.

Jeronimus Cornelisz, a junior merchant on his maiden voyage, seized this opportunity, abandoning his family. According to a new historical case study, Cornelisz's reign on the island displayed the characteristics of what is now known as corporate psychopathy. Modern estimates suggest that corporate psychopaths make up around three to four percent of the business population, which is slightly higher than the one percent of the general population.

Cornelisz exhibited a mix of disturbing traits, such as displaying superficial charm to gain trust, surrounding himself with loyalists, creating a climate of fear, sowing discord among rivals, eliminating rivals, avoiding blame, and pursuing power, money, and control. He began planning a mutiny before the shipwreck, quickly consolidated power, and replaced other lawful officials with his own mutineers.

He demanded loyalty oaths from his lieutenants and began hoarding resources. Cornelisz tricked a Dutch soldier, Wiebbe Hayes, into leading a search for water on neighboring islands, while he hoarded resources and separated opposing factions. Cornelisz brutally killed over 100 individuals to maintain his power and used sex slavery to intimidate and implicate others.

Hayes, on the other hand, built a makeshift fort, repelled Cornelisz's forces, discovered new resources, and ensured the survival of his group. The contrasting outcomes of these two leaders facing the same circumstances highlight the impact of effective leadership in such dire situations.