Building positive relationships with colleagues and superiors is extremely important. However, there are times when people flatter too much and create a strategic manipulation to get a promotion or advancement in their career. Result? If it is insincere and driven by self-interest, it can undermine trust and respect in the workplace.
Signs of this type of manipulation:
- Excessive praise: Offering compliments that feel forced, particularly when they don’t belong to that situation.
- Agreeing unconditionally: Consistently agreeing with a superior’s opinions or decisions, even when it contradicts one’s own beliefs or the greater good.
- Open flattery: Behaviors that are made so that the superior feels admired, often at the expense of honesty or authenticity.
The risks:
- Loss of credibility: When colleagues and superiors sense that an individual is doing this, it can lead to a loss of credibility. However, people around that individual will not show that, and the individual will think no one noticed or no one cares but deep down they lost all the credibility. Other people will still communicate, but won’t respect.
- Career stagnation: This approach often backfires in the long run because true leaders value team members who contribute with integrity and transparency. There may not be a demotion, but stagnation is possible.
Strategies for authentic career advancement:
- Nurture honest connections – Focus on building relationships based on mutual respect and shared goals. Show genuine interest in your colleagues’ and superiors’ perspectives and contributions.
- Demonstrate competencies – Let your work speak for itself.
- Maintain integrity – By remaining true to your core values, you earn the respect of those around you.
- Find the right mentors – They can provide valuable advice and help you with workplace issues.
