We've all heard about crazy and sociopathic managers who manipulate their subordinates, and possibly their peers in a bid to control others. But, what about the CEO who is none-the-wiser to what's happening at lower levels? Those executive leaders who show one side of themselves to the CEO, and an opposing side to their subordinates? What about those leaders who manipulate up (and down)?
In my working experience, I've noticed a pattern within dysfunctional organizations. Here's a story from that experience that may help illustrate this common and detrimental issue:
My work experience in this particular organization began as they normally do- all smiles and love-bombing from most people. In the interview and in the beginning phases, my manager told me that the organization, although established for decades, still (in her opinion) operated like a start-up, there were many opportunities for improvement and that the appetite was there on all levels for changes and improvements. I should have known this was - a fabrication, lol - but I was excited to finally land in a place I thought might actually fit my skillset and allow me to help others support and inspire change.
Fast forward to just a few months in. The love bombing has dissipated, the real problems began to surface, and my questioning of things and ambition began to be perceived as a threat. As I interacted with various levels and departments within the company, I began to notice concerning patterns. Front level employees frequently voiced concerns about the lack of knowledge or connection managers and executives seemed to have about the work they do and the effects of management decisions on customer and employee retention because of this disconnect.
Managers and executive leadership then blamed the rigidness of the CEO as the reasoning behind these decisions. In conversations with executive leadership, or with the CEO, the leaders (middle managers and directors, along with some executive leaders) would blame the competency and will of lower-level employees. They painted a picture to the CEO that didn't exist, covering their tracks and escaping accountability from him. They pushed nonsensical processes and procedures to stressed out and confused front line employees, shutting down suggestions for improvement. All in an organization that touted being high performing and change champions.
The misalignments between their values, stated expectations, and their actual behavior became very obvious. Some leaders were aware of this misalignment but did nothing to change and resisted any suggestions for alignment. For example, I introduced the concept of psychological safety to them as a way to help rebuild trust (which of course had been lost among front line employees), which none of them had ever heard of (shocking) and many of them not only rejected the idea, but behind my back worked actively against its implementation. [See my other Paradigm Shifts article on Skilled Incompetence.
In their efforts to cover up their misdealing and incompetence, middle managers, directors and executive leaders manipulated the CEO's perception of their trustworthiness, but also what was happening within his own company. Those closest to him were keeping him oblivious to the true state of his company- and the political games, behavioral misalignments, poor processes, and reluctance to change (leading to high attrition, mediocrity, and poor work/life balance) continued, and became huge risks to his business. To make matters worse, the CEO is neurodivergent, and those closest to him to took full advantage of social blind spots he had and intentionally misinterpreted his words and actions to push their agendas.
Behavior like this is very common in workplaces. Understandably, fear of being found out as incompetent leads managers to participate in all kinds of questionable behaviors that may have short term or shallow benefits but are detrimental in the long run. Managers like these cost companies millions annually, and like the CEO in my above example, most business owners are blissfully unaware.
The processes of promotion for managers (likeability vs competence) plays a huge role in perpetuating this issue. Naturally, if your leaders are actually competent, they can actually perform, or at the very least are typically open to learning and change when needed. However, a manager that has spent a 20- or 30-year career playing politics and manipulating everyone around them to get ahead becomes a poor choice to manage others and make critical decisions that can impact a company's bottom line.
So, what can we do?
Awareness is key- being able to identify these behaviors and patterns within your organization is critical. You can take a high-level approach by asking yourself the following questions:
If you are a business owner, CEO or executive leader: Do you allow charisma, time or proximity to dictate who you can trust? Do you depend totally on your executive team or middle managers in order to have a clear view of what's happening in your organization?
If you are a middle manager or director: Do you cover up any failures or incompetence out of fear of judgement? Do you pass along accountability to your employees?
If you are an employee: Do you notice misalignment between what managers say and what they do? Do you blindly follow manager direction without questioning things when needed?
For all: Who are the people positioning themselves close to you? Does it make sense or seem forced? Even in situations where it seems valid, what risks are involved?
These questions aren't meant to induce paranoia; however, if you are a business owner, CEO or other executive leader, your entire business- everything you have worked hard to build- could be at great risk by trusting the wrong people.
This Harvard Business Review article is geared toward employees who are being manipulated by leaders, but shares great information on types of manipulation, who is likely to be manipulated, and a few tips on what you can do about it. Knowing the fine line between influence and manipulation can make all the difference.
Hi! I'm Nicole, an organizational consultant and personal coach, who is passionate about inspiring the changes our society needs for all to thrive. Using lessons learned from my own experiences and challenges, I hope to help people within organizations by creating mentally, socially, and emotionally healthy workplaces for all. Check out the other resources on this site for more ways to do just that!
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