When you are told something bad that is being said about you, beware of the person telling you. Is the information real? Who can you verify it with? Ask for specifics. Those who enjoy being spiteful will want to stand back a bit while giving you the bad news, as they’ll want to survey the effect they are having on you. If they had any part in the bad news they are delivering, they may have what behavioural experts call “duper’s delight” on their face – barely contained joy at the target’s misfortune that the perpetrator caused. 95% of the people I worked with in TV were lovely, but the other 5% you need to watch, particularly if you work for a high-profile employer. Healthy skepticism is best learnt young.
One good thing about the perpetrators is that usually, they think they are more talented and intelligent than their managers and their colleagues. This is rarely true – at some point, a perpetrator will go too far or pick on one person too many and be exposed. People often make their worst mistakes when they are at their most arrogant.
#skepticism
