I joined a new organisation and a new colleague was awfully nice. Until they weren’t. They were a prolific gaslighter who turned out to be the most generous, funny and manipulative person I’d ever worked with, adept at friendship-making and deadline-dodging.
What did I experience and observe?
❌ telling me if I didn’t know the answer, it was ok they’d just go to my manager
❌ working in pairs so you couldn’t identify their work from someone else’s
❌ wanting daily check-ins to help them create a to-do list
❌ regularly failing to meet deadlines on solo tasks
❌ making friends with new, young, female members of staff to create protective connections and a circle of allies
❌ discrediting male colleagues and fronting up to new male colleagues to assert their knowledge and longevity
It was the most bizarre and unpleasant behaviour I’d ever seen or experienced.
If you’re experiencing any behaviour that’s impacting on your health, wellbeing and sanity – talk to someone. Start with anyone you trust. Start with me!!