Machiavellian by nature, this ‘leader’ has a constant political agenda of their own that they are trying to further. They are the architect of office politics, rumours and hearsay; it is in such divisiveness that they come into their own.
The drama of a toxic environment is their natural habitat, it offers the greatest opportunity to play people off against each other. Tread carefully, their cunning and scheming knows no bounds!
Signs to look for…
- Bright, uses intelligence to manipulate people or situations to their gain
- Exposes the weaknesses of others
- Tells people what they want to hear to gain trust, then uses any insights gained to prey on people’s vulnerabilities
- Often appears great at stakeholder engagement, but the intention is misguided
- Aims to damage people’s reputation and credibility
- Will sow seeds of doubt regarding people’s capability, sharing views without context and applying disinformation techniques
Survival tips…
- Be mindful of the information you share with this ‘leader’. Guard against any potential oversharing if you have genuine concerns about how that information may be used
- Politely decline from getting involved in any office politics they attempt to table. Office politics are never that interesting, never worthwhile and are more at home on the school playground. You are better than that.
- If you have genuine concerns or vulnerabilities in work, seek a range of support from people that you trust. Your employer is there to help you, not the ‘find you out’
You may recognise this scenario…
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Leadershits Book – Lessons From Bad Leadership Experiences.
£7.99
