A workplace gaslighter is just as insidious as your toxic friends or family. In fact, they operate in an environment that provides additional ways to make you look bad.
The environment of the gas lighter at the workplace is a toxic hellscape. They just need a way to make you look like a liar, or worse, ‘crazy’.
Unfortunately, most of us work with people who routinely use gaslighting as a weapon. They either use this to prevent you or actually kick you out. You should be careful when dealing with these people.
Recognition of the gas lighter during work
You will meet at work many different people with various characteristics. Being around these individuals in a work environment, not with family or friends, is hard to get used to. So, when you meet the gas lamp associatethe environment becomes even worse.
A gaslighter can act in many strange ways, including saying things they didn’t say, and even not doing things they clearly remember doing.
Signs of gas lighting in the workplace:
- dismissals without due process
- lies and open criticism
- refusal to conduct fair investigations
- unfair disciplinary actions
- failure to disclose important information
- lack of transparency
- overt bullying behavior
How to destroy a gas lighter at work
So, how do we shut them down? Better yet, how do we destroy gas lighters in the workplace so they think twice about treating others? Well, it’s not easy, but we can try the following actions:
1. Gather the facts
The first thing you need to do is gather the facts. People who light on you will never admit what they are doing. This is because they usually have narcissistic personality disorder. So exposing him without evidence rarely works for you.
Instead, note every inconsistency and lie they say. While it is difficult to prove what a gas lighter is doing, it is not impossible and it is better to have all the facts.
2. Be vigilant
Be alert, pay attention to body language and sudden changes in behavior. Sometimes you can tell when a gas lighter is spewing nonsense.
If you’ve been abused for a long time, you learn to recognize things before they happen. If you stay alert, you can catch these venomous individuals and call them to action. It lets them know you care about them, so they might think twice before doing anything mean, at least in that moment.
3. Monitor performance
If you’re a boss who suspects one of your employees is gaslighting or something manipulative actionsthe victim may show signs of reduced work performance.
Gaslighting affects mental health to such an extent that it is sometimes difficult to behave as before. The job becomes much more difficult when someone gaslights you. You may doubt yourself or your performance. It will show eventually. And if the boss knows, maybe they can stop him.
4. Ignore emotional labels
Emotional labels are jabs a person makes to attack your self-esteem. For example, if someone engages in gaslighting behavior, they may call you crazy or stupid. And if you don’t shut that down, your mind may start to question those labels.
While some are stronger than others, emotional labels still leave a mark. Learning to ignore emotional labels will help you kill the gaslighter. They see that their naming isn’t working as well as they’d like, and these gaslight games aren’t as effective.
5. Ask for support
No one likes to be alone with their struggles, especially when it comes to bullying or narcissistic coworkers. The support system is good for two reasons. You need someone to talk to when things are really bad at work. Also, if you have a support system, that other person will eventually see the truth in your gaslighter’s behavior.
6. Put down the lies
With the collected facts, show them to someone you trust, or perhaps to your support system. For every lie they tell, make sure you let someone know what you’re experiencing. The gaslighter at work will try to spread rumors about you, implying that you are the problem.
But if you have evidence, it helps expose them, thus exposing their lies.
7. Stay calm
One of the things that annoys a gaslighter the most is his ability to stay calm. Their sneaky strategies are designed to throw you off balance and destroy your sense of peace. Don’t let them do that. If someone lights gas on you, remember the truth. Then go about your work day as normal.
Yes, you’ll be working on their downfall in the background, but they don’t have to be aware of it. You can plan and orchestrate, gather your support system and facts in peace. Staying calm will help you too messes up the gas lighter.
Yes, a working gas lighter can be destroyed!
It may seem impossible, or at least scary, to destroy a gas lighter while working. But it is possible and must be done for your well-being. A gaslighter can destroy you, so you need to remove their influence from your life, or at least learn how to survive while working with them.
Don’t lose hope when working with a gas lighter. Remember, other people see the truth. It may not be obvious to them at first, but over time the gaslighter will show you who they really are. When this happens, you can build up your defenses against them.
And the most important thing to remember is the truth. If you stick to what you know to be the truth, the gaslighter’s strategies should not affect you. And if you get a chance to get out of their influence, don’t hesitate.
Staff writer at A learning mind
Sherrie Hurd is a professional writer and artist with over 20 years of experience. As a survivor of childhood trauma and multiple forms of abuse, she is an advocate for mental health awareness. Sherrie treats a variety of mental illnesses, including anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. With this background and personal experience, she strives to help others overcome trauma and abuse, cope with mental illness, and heal over time.
