3 Crucial ways to deal with a manipulator at Workplace

 By Pranjali Manore

A majority of you who's ever gone to work has had to deal with an office manipulator. Manipulation comes in many ways at the workplace, and if it's not managed or deterred, it can create a highly toxic work environment. Sadly, most employees hesitate to go public with concerns. 

 

When you cannot get the hierarchy or other authorities to intervene on your behalf, it helps to have your own coping approaches, short of legal action. 

 

Be skeptical about things happening in an around:

 Manipulators do not usually show their true colors at the starting of a relationship. They often present themselves as confidantes or allies, as they need to draw you close to size up where soft spots are and how much they can get from you. Manipulators are skilled at assessing which employees are confident and sophisticated enough to stand on their own and which ones can easily please or get shamed. 

 

It is exciting if a powerful colleague or superior seems interested in you, but if you've heard scary things about them, it is sensible to proceed with caution. For instance, if someone treats you as their favourite, however, includes little digs, which makes you feel bad about yourself, pressures you to act against your own interests to stay on their good side, or puts you down when talking with others. 

 

Be willing to risk small public confrontation:

 At times, the only way to expose a manipulator's maneuverings is by confronting them at the moment. You might face difficulties if you're the junior party. Sometimes even experienced people can be stunned into disbelief or might be unable to think of what to say when someone destabilizes normal standards of behaviour and fair play, despite the organizational damage they know is being done. Therefore, when someone has both the moxie and the wit to intervene, it puts the manipulator on notice that it's possible to intervene and keep others safe while moving the business forward. 

 

Keep secrets or to act as an interpreter in ways that normalize underhanded behavior:

Hold your ground and be direct and straightforward. These plotters may treat you like a trusted insider, feeding you tidbits about other people's scarceness and non-success as if only you have the viewpoint and discretion to understand what's really important. Do not be taken in by the implied flattery. 

 

Conclusion: 

Manipulative people are not good for your companionship, and they will surround you with negativity and trap you. They will make you feel guilty for almost everything and make you weak emotionally. Dealing with them without losing your patience is important and tolerating them is no less than motivating them to repeat their actions. But take care that you're not one of them while dealing with a manipulative person.