Reference: Burns, G . N. ; DeGennaro, M . P .; Harrell, Cody E. ; Morrison, P . J .; Soda, L . M. ; & Walters, R . L. (2024). Emotional m anipulation in the w orkplace: An i nvesti gation into the i ndirect e ffects of Machiavellianism on c ounterproductive w ork b ehaviors (CWBs). Personality and Individual Differences, 221 , 1 - 7. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4431914 Have you seen colleagues manipulating situations at work? Researchers studied how manipulation affects work behavior. Manipul ative people often lack empathy, ignore morals, and focus on themselves. This can lead to problems and counterproductive work behaviors in the workplace. Psychologists looked at how manipulation causes problems at work. They asked if traits like agreeableness and having emotional skills can help. They studied two groups of 159 and 201 people who answered questions about their personality and behavior. What did they find? Manipulative employees use emotional tricks to get their way! They see themselves as charming and smart. Manipulat ors believe they can do sneaky things and not get caught or face consequences . This leads to conflict, bullying, and bad b ehavior at work. But being agreeable, rule - oriented, and having emotional skills can stop this! So, what can you do? Sharpen your emotional intelligence and control to stop and sidestep these behaviors. When dealing with manipulative people, find what they do right. Be generous and prais e ! Highlight their kindness and workplace rules . G ive them space to keep things from getting worse. Champion teamwork and foster open communication!

Written by Gary Burns, Ph.D.; Kristin M. Harris, Ph.D.