Attempting to control or excessively influence one’s superiors, particularly when done for personal gain or to avoid accountability, can be detrimental. This behavior, where individuals focus disproportionately on influencing their managers rather than executing their core responsibilities, often manifests as constant flattery, selective information sharing, or strategic maneuvering to take credit for others’ work. For example, an employee might spend excessive time crafting reports that emphasize their contributions while minimizing the roles of their team members, aiming to impress a manager at the expense of collaborative success.
The negative consequences of this upward manipulation can be significant. Organizations may suffer from reduced productivity, as resources are diverted from essential tasks to political maneuvering. A culture of distrust can permeate teams, as employees become wary of colleagues prioritizing personal advancement over collective goals. Furthermore, managers may become less effective if they are consistently being fed biased information or are manipulated into making decisions that serve individual agendas rather than the organization’s best interests. Historically, companies that prioritize transparency and meritocracy have actively discouraged such behaviors, recognizing the long-term damage they can inflict on morale and performance.
