Watch out for Office Manipulators.

Some employers/employees have mastered you and will manipulate you to look bad before everyone.

They know what triggers you to react in a certain way, and they use this medium to push a negative narrative about you and exempt themselves from the situation, if you are not careful, manipulators will always put you on the spot. By being aware of the signs and taking steps to protect yourself and your sanity, you can navigate these situations with confidence.

Common Tactics of Manipulators:

👉Playing the Victim: they always portray themselves as good to gain sympathy and support.

👉Gossip and Rumors: They spread misinformation about others to create division.

👉Credit Stealing: They take credit for employees' achievements or minimize their contribution.

👉Excessive Flattery: They use flattery to build relationships only to exploit them later.

👉Passive-aggressive behavior: they use subtle tactics like sarcasm or ignoring requests to manipulate you.

👉Blaming and Guilt Tripping
👉Undermining your confidence and abilities.
👉Use your weakness as your triggers.
👉Wanting to find out your discussion with colleagues around the office and find something to use as a topic for discussion.
👉Subtly engage your colleagues or junior staff about you to create an avenue for disrespect.

Tips on Dealing with Office Manipulators:

👉The first thing is to recognize their tactics and know your triggers.

👉Trust your guts, if something feels off, it probably is.

👉Set clear boundaries, be clear about what you will not tolerate.

👉Do not engage in an argument, remember manipulators thrive on emotional reactions so they can have something to hold. Stay calm and focused.

👉Maintain emotional distance. Practice emotional detachment by avoiding getting drawn into their drama.

👉Use assertive communication.


If you find yourself consistently feeling uncomfortable, stressed, or doubtful of yourself around someone at work, it's worth paying attention to these signs and taking action to protect yourself.