Beware of workplace liars and sycophants

By John Kariuki

Liars and sycophants are found in almost every workplace.

Whether they are lavishing their bosses with praise or recounting their latest hobby to colleagues, workplace cheats want to show they are better workers.

In their mildest form, these cheats crave to be noticed with their words and deeds. They will often take the credit of other people’s ideas and criticise colleagues behind their backs. This can create bad blood and paralyse operations if allowed to flourish.

Common lies revolve around other colleagues’ meteoric rise. And then half truths are piled upon each other until the story becomes plausible. But the bottom line could be veiled admiration for the demonised person.

Spin fabrications

Every time a colleague who stands out morally and professionally goes to the boss’s office, workplace liars go into overdrive to fathom the meaning. And frequently they spin fabrications that a colleague has been reprimanded and could be on his way out.

When a colleague buys a vehicle or moves to a leafy suburb, the wags are back with juicy tid bits.

At the first whiff of trouble at the workplace, accomplished liars will always wear a new mask and lay the blame on everybody. Often they walk out of jobs with their heads high. They will intimate that they don’t care as they have received other job offers.

But years down the line they will not have gone anywhere. "I saw it fit to call it a day, after all those years." they will say.

If you are a liar, colleagues will get used to your tales and take no interest in what you say. Even a single lie traps you in an exhausting cycle of living through and sustaining it. This can push you to live beyond your means, making your job a living hell.

Unlike the liars, workplace sycophants could be more refined and less obvious in their antics. They are notorious for sending messages of goodwill, both on mail and mobile phone, to their bosses. They are especially adept at keeping track of their seniors’ personal issues like a sick child or wife; hence their handy messages ahead of everybody else.

At harambees concerning their bosses, sycophants want to contribute more than everyone and ensure others know.

Often a sycophant will note the time of day when the boss is least busy and walk into his office. "I was just passing by your office and thought it wise to greet you," they will start but several hours later, they will have updated the boss on practically all matters going on.

They work late, especially when the boss is also working late. They are often go home when the boss is leaving so that he or she can catch a glimpse of them.

Corporate line

Sycophants always back all decisions even those that are not popular among other staff.

This is besides the often quoted corporate line: I was thinking along similar lines. Often they will point out to the boss what in their estimation is wrong with their colleagues.

And these wrongs can be anything from professional oversights to personal shortcomings that have no relation with work. But often sycophants indict other people to defray attention from their own incompetence or social problems.

They could also be masking the fact of their inferior qualifications.