Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a recognised expert in psychometric testing, discusses this fact in an interesting article on the Management Today website. He says that CEOs behave in exactly the same way as psychopaths in the following cases.
Absence of fear or guilt
The Western world especially admires fearlessness and bold risk-taking as a sign of strength and power. This is exactly the way how people affected by the mental disorder known as psychopathy behave when they want power and don't care how they achieve it.
Strong charisma
Personal charm or charisma is usually associated with strong leaders. In reality, charisma only helps leaders to reach effectivity on a minimum level. Both CEOs and psychopaths are, however, usually very charismatic.
Inability to respect authority
Many successful entrepreneurs who started their own businesses have this problem. That's why they couldn't have worked for anyone else. Psychologists call these people socially adaptable psychopaths. Their mental disorder is of a milder nature and they can function in society without entering into conflict with the law.
Most criminals have strongly developed psychopathy. In addition to the three characteristics mentioned above, other typical symptoms of psychopaths include callousness, lack of self-control, excessively high opinions of themselves, lack of interest in others or a constant feeling that they have to be doing something.
Psychopathy generally occurs more among men. The increasing the number of women in top management then may lower the number of psychopaths in boardrooms, concludes Tomas Chamorro-Premužić.
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