While most of these traits on paper are enough to make most of us want to run for the hills, the crazy thing is that people who meet the criteria for the dark triad are often charming and successful, Dr. O'Boyle says. (One look at the current administration is enough to prove that narcissism and psychopathy are easy to capitalize on.) But charm is also part of the scam. Psychopaths might study others to learn how to be likable, but they're "cold and calculating" when it comes to business decisions, he says. A narcissist tends to be "exceptionally good at projecting a grandiose vision and getting followers behind it," but they steal all credit and demand subservience, he says. And in a situation where there's not a ton of oversight (like, say a brand new music festival on an island in the Bahamas), Machiavellians thrive, he says. "Basically if their scheming is noticeable, they lose, if not, they win," he says.