Dark rhetoric: a synonym for nasty manipulation, exploitation, trickery and influence. Someone imposes their opinion on us. We let ourselves be charmed, and it feels good. Only later do we realise we have tripped ourselves up professionally or personally. How can we counter it? Knowing manipulation strategies is the first step. I have selected five that everyone has probably experienced, consciously or otherwise. Over the next five weeks, Lilit will share one counterstrategy each week. Enjoy reading, applying them and defending yourself! 😉

Manipulation, Part 1: The bluffer

Big charisma, little competence?

You know the scene: someone who looks far from ordinary enters the room and captures everyone’s attention. Charismatic, using clever-sounding words, reporting recent successes. And you? You tumble into their fascinating world like Alice down the rabbit hole: “How charming!” or “I wish I were like that!” Experts call this the halo effect, literally the “saint’s halo effect”. This is a cognitive bias: we shape our view of another person to match our ideal image. Why? Because we like them at first sight.

My counterstrategy:

Get a satnav for Alice’s Wonderland. Question key words and listen actively. Ask precise questions: what exactly was their role in that “amazing project”? Who helped them? Where did their data come from? Uncertain body language in their answers can indicate a bluffer. A critical eye for hot air and small disappointments helps revise first impressions. Incidentally, there is also a “horns effect”: not everyone who initially appears in a poor light is actually unqualified or incompetent.

  • What examples of the halo effect have you experienced?
  • What helps you stay critical? I look forward to your comments 🙂

Whether nasty questions or provocateurs, name-dropping or playing the victim – read every part of our series and outsmart the manipulators! PS: Want more strategies and rhetorical tricks? Then book our seminar Dark Rhetoric – Defending Against Manipulation! Strengthen your skills with our argumentation training or get personalised advice through Executive Coaching . (Image credit: MGDBoston at Morguefile.com) https://www.lilit-kommunikation.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Foto-1–e1570193077389-300×255.jpg PS: Want more strategies and rhetorical tricks? Then subscribe to our newsletter, book our individual Lilit public speaking coaching (Lilit Seminar: Dark Rhetoric and Defending Against Manipulation) or our Lilit Training in the Art of Argumentation.