EP189: Dealing with Manipulators

Address executive manipulators.

Within our organizations there are people who will do whatever it takes to be successful. Sometimes people who we believe are high performers are actually lethal employees and manipulators. To gain power, people hoard information, shut others down, avoid seeking input and insist on always having control. Saving employees from manipulators in our organizations is one of the most difficult aspects of being a leader – especially if the manipulator is an executive leader. Today, Janet shares 8 tips for dealing with manipulators on our teams.

This episode answers questions such as:

How can we handle executive leaders who are barriers to teams?
Why do people manipulate others?
What actions can we take to cause manipulators to back off?

Featured Episode Resources

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY | HOW TO SPOT AND STOP MANIPULATORS

It is important to distinguish healthy social influence from psychological manipulation. Healthy social influence occurs between most people, and is part of the give and take of constructive relationships. In psychological manipulation, one person is used for the benefit of another.

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9P | DEAL WITH PROBLEMS

Have you identified the problem people in your organization? Are there individuals who are low performing and reinforce silos infecting your departments? In this video, Dr. Natalie Harder reveals the hard truth around why leaders avoid dealing with low performers and the consequences of tolerating their behavior.

Read the article >>

SE | ELIMINATE WE/THEY

As a leader, how you communicate matters. When you model positive communication, you not only set an example, but you also set an expectation for how to interact within your organization. What you permit, you promote. It’s vital to take necessary steps to avoid “We/They” behavior and communication.

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9P | TIPS FOR DOCUMENTING POOR PERFORMANCE AND NON-COMPLIANCE

To show we have taken all the right steps to support an employee’s success, it’s necessary to document performance problems and conversations. This documentation may not only protect the organization in the case of a lawsuit, it ensures all employees are treated fairly and consistently.

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