Do you end every workday feeling drained, confused, and second-guessing your competence? Do you live in a state of constant anxiety, dreading your next 1:1? Your 'demanding boss' might be a corporate psychopath. Based on foundational research, these individuals are masters of disguise. Here are 3 signs you may be working for one: 1. Glib Charm & The "Idealize-Devalue" Cycle They are masters of "impression management," charming senior leadership. When you first joined, they likely "idealized" you, building trust. But this charm is a performance. The moment you question them, they "devalue" you, treating you as incompetent or "difficult." This hot-and-cold behaviour is a deliberate, destabilizing tactic to keep you desperate for their approval. 2. Pathological Lying and Gaslighting This is their primary tactic for control. They lie effortlessly, even when caught. This escalates into full-blown gaslighting, where they will deny reality—denying instructions they gave or promises they ma...