Gartner Tactics to Counter Manipulative Communication Within the C-Suite

Gartner Tactics to Counter Manipulative
Communication Within the C-Suite

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Tactics to Counter Manipulative
Communication Within the C -Suite
Gabriela Vogel
VP Analyst
Shanna Grafeld
Principal Analyst

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Technology Decisions are no longer
black and white

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Be warned: Directly addressing manipulative communication can exacerbate political tensions and be perceived as
an attack. Executives should tread carefully and strategize responses thoughtfully when manipulation is at play.
IntuitionOver
Data
Lack of Decision
Framework
Manipulative behavior in the C-suite can be
unintentional.

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A Lack of Psychological Safety can drive
Manipulative Behavior

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Strategies for Countering Manipulation
Rational
Strategies
Social
Strategies
The use of supportive data and
authoritative references, meticulously
preparing counterarguments, and
streamlining your message to dismantle
manipulative argument.
The leverage of interpersonal alliances
and relationships, group dynamics and
inclusive communication aligned to
stakeholder interest to strengthen your
position and mitigate the impact of
manipulative arguments.

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Spot the Four Types and Their Signals

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How Can It Manifest?
✓Flooding discussion with unresolved questions to
cause confusion
✓Casting doubt without providing valid evidence
✓Introducing irrelevant data or information to
spike fear, doubt and uncertainty

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What you can’t see: It’s not psychologically safe
to CHALLENGE IDEAS
✓Challenger Safety- the ability to critique and
challenge ideas in an open and genuine format is
lacking
✓If it felt safe to challenge ideas in the group,
critiques against the argument would be clear
and well articulated- not misleading or
contradictory

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Example: Introducing Unreasonable Doubt, Fear
and Uncertainty to Delay or Derail

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Counter Tactics
Rational Social
Incorporate opponent’s propositions to
strengthen your rational arguments.
Lean on other leaders
in the room
Strategically
Yield

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How Can It Manifest?
✓Presenting opposing arguments inaccurately to
attack or discredit them
✓Drawing misleading comparisons between
unrelated ideas
✓Manipulating language to amplify aspects of an
argument

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What you can’t see: Undermining contributor
safety
✓Team members should be able to contribute
their ideas without fear or ridicule
✓High performing teams are more likely to make
decisions based on data (both quantitative and
qualitative). A lack of contributor safety will hold
C-Suite teams back.

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Example: Attacking Your Arguments by Amplifying
Them Beyond Purpose

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Counter Tactics
Rational Social
Admit the premise, but
deny the conclusion
Frame with specifics and
redirect when necessary
Shift concerns
to the sidelines

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How Can It Manifest?
✓Evading specific questions by providing vague
responses
✓Introducing irrelevant information or unrelated
issues
✓Interrupting, breaking up or diverting the debate

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What you can’t see: It is not safe to LEARN
✓Learner safety allows people and teams to
embody a growth mindset and continuously
upskill
✓In a psychologically safe environment, people
admit to knowledge gaps and challenges rather
than burying them

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Example: Deflection to divert and avoid
responsibility

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Counter Tactics
Rational Social
Thank them,
But ask for specifics
Pause for
political clarity
Hook them, but
win the battle another day

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How Can It Manifest?
✓Challenging executive integrity and alignment
with organizational values or objectives
✓Playing to personal insecurities
✓Attacking personally

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What you can’t see: Attack on Inclusion Safety
✓Inclusion is the most foundational level of
psychological safety
✓Undermining the person is a direct attack on
their ability to belong within the group
✓This kind of manipulation will have damaging
effects on the entire team

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Example: Unsettling Others for Personal Gain

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Counter Tactics
Rational Social
Set limits and steer the discussion
back to the main topic.
Resist
the Bait
Ask, “Are you feeling OK?”

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Lack of
CHALLENGER Safety
Lack of
CONTRIBUTOR Safety
Lack of
LEARNER Safety
Lack of
INCLUSIONSafety
Psychological Safety
Manipulative Communication Signals a Damaged
Environment of Psychological Safety
Source: Timothy Clark, The Four Stages of Psychological Safety

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Key Takeaways
Balance both Rational
and Social Strategies
when Countering
Potential Manipulation
Avoid burning
bridges, straegically
pause when you are
not reading the room.
Always have a
Plan B ready to keep
the conversation going
Practice Identifying
Manipuative Patterns
Excercise attached in
downloadable deck to
practice Identifying
Patterns

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Learn to Identify
Manipulative Patterns

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CEO CFO COO CIO CHRO
CEO
CFO
COO
CIO
CHRO
Identify C-suite Patterns Template
Manipulation
Counter Tactic
Illustrative Example

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CEO CFO COO CIO CHRO
CEO
CFO
COO
CIO
CHRO
Step 1: Identify the Manipulative Tactics in the C-suite
Manipulation
Counter Tactic
Deflection
Undermining
Person
Deflection
Illustrative Example
Misrepresenting
Facts
Misrepresenting
Facts
Deflection
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Misrepresenting
Facts
Undermining the
Argument
Deflection

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CEO CFO COO CIO CHRO
CEO
CFO
COO
CIO
CHRO
C-suite is continuously
undermining the
CHROs Arguments
Step 2: Pint Point Patterns in Manipulative Behavior to
Preemptively Prepare
Manipulation
Counter Tactic
Deflection
Undermining
Person
Deflection
Illustrative Example
Misrepresenting
Facts
Misrepresenting
Facts
Deflection
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Misrepresenting
Facts
Undermining the
Argument
Deflection
1 2
CHRO response to
pressure from
CEO and COO is
Deflection
CIO is facing
personal attacks
3

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Step 3: Recognize Employed Counter Tactics in Response
to Manipulation Attempts.
Illustrative Example
CEO CFO COO CIO CHRO
CEO
CFO
COO
CIO
CHRO
Manipulation
Counter Tactic
Deflection
Undermining
Person
Deflection
Illustrative Example
Misrepresenting
Facts
Misrepresenting
Facts
Deflection
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Misrepresenting
Facts
Undermining the
Argument
Deflection
Asked for Specifics
Asked for Specifics
Asked for Specifics
Limit and Steer
Resist Bait
Frame Around
Specifics
Admit Premise Deny
Conclusion
Incorporate proposition
Strategically Yield
Incorporate proposition
Strategically Yield
Shift Concerns to Side
Shift Concerns to Side
Lean on Others
Admit Premise, Deny
Conclusion
Pause for Political
Clarity

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Step 4: Identify winning and losing counter tactics to
understand individual dynamics
Illustrative Example
CEO CFO COO CIO CHRO
CEO
CFO
COO
CIO
CHRO
Manipulation
Counter Tactic
Deflection
Undermining
Person
Deflection
Illustrative Example
Misrepresenting
Facts
Misrepresenting
Facts
Deflection
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Undermining the
Argument
Misrepresenting
Facts
Undermining the
Argument
Deflection
Asked for Specifics
Asked for Specifics
Asked for Specifics
Limit and Steer
Resist Bait
Frame Around
Specifics
Admit Premise Deny
Conclusion
Incorporate proposition
Strategically Yield
Incorporate proposition
Strategically Yield
Shift Concerns to Side
Shift Concerns to Side
Lean on Others
Admit Premise, Deny
Conclusion
Pause for Political
Clarity

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Step 5: Record key insights into repetitive manipulative
patterns within the C-suite for strategic planning in future
interactions.
CEO
Deflection
Undermining
Person
CFO COO CIO CHRO
Undermining Arguments
Undermining Arguments

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