ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the two main aspects of the psychology of secrecy. However, for the more humanistically oriented and depth psychologies, the covert is embedded in the very fabric of our mind in its ability to create imagery of an experience or task and in the self-talk that we carry on with ourselves at unconscious levels. The unconscious substrata of organizational life, Krantz argues, shape the texture of group life and organizational dynamics, including role relations, tacit internalized expectations and covert agreements about behavior. The toxic leader has a large range of control myths at his or her disposal, which Lipman-Blumen explains make us feel safe from the fear of repercussions and from worries about the benefits and resources one might lose, as well as myths used to rationalize away ones complicity. When people with personality disorders are involved, the level of secrecy rises considerably, particularly with narcissists and psychopaths, who are commonly found in organizations.
