Hi, this is Alice. I’m back with another story about my experience with The Manipulation Game. While working at a busy creative agency, I realized that to thrive, I needed to strengthen my skills, especially given my Individualist personality. In the past, my creativity had been my guiding light. But after learning about manipulation techniques and becoming more aware of their effectiveness, I began to question the value of honesty in shaping my career. Through a specific lesson in The Game, I gained a newfound appreciation for the power of authenticity in building a successful future.
Understanding the Strategy of Honesty
The lesson from The Manipulation Game was clear—true power doesn’t come from deception, but from strategically utilizing the truth. At first, the idea seemed almost naive. In an environment where everyone was jockeying for position, how could honesty possibly give me an edge? But the more I considered it, the more I realized that honesty didn’t mean vulnerability; it meant strength. Lies leave you open for discovery, allowing your strategy to fall apart––there’s no space for failure when mastering manipulation.
Eyes on a Colleague
Andrew, a senior creative director, appeared to be the epitome of polished manipulation. He knew how to charm, subtly undermine, and keep everyone in line with his vision. After spending weeks observing him, it hit me—Andrew never outright lied, because he didn’t need to. Instead, he was a master at bending the truth just enough to make it work in his favor.
Applying the Power of Honesty in My Office
I decided to take what I’d seen in Andrew and develop it into my own approach. As an Individualist, my creativity was my defining trait, but my openness with it often left me vulnerable to disproportionate scrutiny. This is when I ascertained the power of honesty with strategic omission. So, I started being unapologetically honest about my ideas, vision, and intentions, while making sure to hold enough back that I was never excessively cross-examined.
In meetings, I spoke openly about the challenges I saw, offering solutions grounded in reality rather than wishful thinking, making sure to keep some secret weapons in my back pockets at all times. The slow release of information allowed me to steer the direction of my manipulations, rather than giving everything up at once and leaving myself open for rejection. I made sure that my honesty supported the building of trust and never let a lie impact my sense of integrity.
The Professional Impacts of My Honesty
The change was palpable. Colleagues hung off my every word, eagerly awaiting developments to ideas I had mapped out long in advance. My honesty positioned me as a reliable creative force––someone who could be counted on to deliver ideas, results, and reliable authenticity. By balancing honesty, secrecy, and integrity, I enhanced my influence over coworkers and clients.
Embracing the power of honesty is essential to become a Master Manipulator, especially when you thrive on creativity as an Individualist like me. Keep up with my stories to learn more about how The Manipulation Game can benefit your career.
Alice Walker
Individualist Personality Orientation
The Manipulation Game Staff Writer
