Protecting Yourself from Workplace Manipulation: Common Tactics and Strategies

Workplace manipulation can be a subtle and insidious form of behavior that can negatively impact employees’ mental health and productivity. In today’s competitive and fast-paced work environments, it’s important to be aware of the common tactics used by manipulators to gain power and control over their colleagues. By understanding these tactics, you can identify and protect yourself from manipulative behavior in the workplace, leading to a healthier and happier work environment.

Common Covert Manipulation Tactics in the Workplace

1. Gaslighting: This tactic involves manipulating someone into doubting their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The manipulator may deny that certain events occurred or tell the victim that they are imagining things.
2. Isolation: The manipulator may try to isolate the victim from their coworkers, friends, and family in order to gain more control over them. This can be done through gossiping, spreading rumors, or undermining the victim’s relationships.
3. False praise: The manipulator may use false praise to gain the victim’s trust and make them feel valued. However, the praise is insincere and is used to manipulate the victim.
4. Passive aggression: This tactic involves expressing aggression in a subtle or indirect way. The manipulator may use sarcasm, backhanded compliments, or other forms of indirect communication to express their displeasure or manipulate the victim.
5. Projecting: The manipulator may project their own negative qualities onto the victim in order to deflect attention away from their own flaws or mistakes.
6. Withholding information: The manipulator may withhold information or give incomplete information in order to control the situation or the victim’s reactions.
7. Love bombing: This tactic involves overwhelming the victim with affection, attention, and gifts in order to create a sense of indebtedness and dependence.
8. Triangulation: The manipulator may use other people as pawns in their manipulation game. They may try to create conflict between coworkers or use others to carry out their manipulative tactics.
9. Guilt-tripping: The manipulator may try to make the victim feel guilty for not doing what they want or for standing up for themselves. They may use emotional manipulation to get their way.
10. Playing the victim: The manipulator may play the victim in order to gain sympathy and deflect attention away from their own manipulative behavior.

Protecting Yourself from Workplace Manipulation

To protect yourself from workplace manipulation, it’s important to be aware of the common tactics used by manipulators. Here are some ways you can protect yourself:

1. Educate yourself on manipulation tactics: By learning about the common manipulation tactics used in the workplace, you can be better prepared to recognize them when they happen.
2. Trust your instincts: If something feels off or you’re experiencing discomfort, trust your instincts and investigate further.
3. Document incidents: Keep a record of any incidents of manipulation, including dates, times, and details of what happened. This can be useful if you need to report the behavior to HR or management.
4. Set boundaries: Establishing clear boundaries and communicating them to your colleagues can help prevent manipulation. Be assertive and stand up for yourself when necessary.
5. Seek support: If you’re experiencing workplace manipulation, don’t hesitate to seek support from friends, family, or a mental health professional. Talking to someone can provide you with a fresh perspective and help you cope with the situation.

Contact our Boulder, Colorado office for a free 20-minute phone consultation if you’re interested in counseling to address unhealthy workplace stress.  We also offer telehealth throughout the state of Colorado. https://somethingwildwellness.com/contact/