An employee pits colleagues against each other.

Recognize manipulation and professionally prevent it.

"Employee pits colleagues against each other – here's how to stop office politics."

Do you know the situation? A team member shares different information with everyone, pits colleagues against each other, and poisons the work atmosphere. Here, you will learn how to recognize such political games and how to conduct the conversation that puts an end to them.

Practice Conversations View sample conversation.

Why some employees pit the team against each other.

You may notice it gradually: suddenly, there's a negative atmosphere in the team. Colleagues are irritated with each other, information is not being shared, and you hear conflicting versions of the same story. One employee tells you something completely different than their colleague—and both believe they have the truth.

Individuals like Tim are often highly intelligent and thrive on intellectual challenges. They view the office as a chessboard, with others as pieces they can skillfully maneuver. For them, it’s a game: Who has the better arguments? Who can persuade whom? They often fail to realize how much they undermine trust within the team.

These personality types constantly test boundaries and seek weaknesses in systems—even in interpersonal relationships. They don’t manipulate out of malice, but rather to prove they are smarter than others. This makes them particularly difficult to confront, as they always have a logical explanation for their behavior.

The problem is that while they engage in their intellectual games, collaboration suffers. Other team members lose trust, projects stall, and you, as a leader, are faced with a toxic work environment.

Here’s how the conversation might go.

Two different approaches to the same problem.

The typical mistake

Du konfrontierst Tim direkt mit seinem Verhalten

You

Tim, mir ist aufgefallen, dass du verschiedenen Kollegen unterschiedliche Informationen gibst. Das muss aufhören.

Interessante Perspektive, aber ich gebe nur die Informationen weiter, die für die jeweilige Person relevant sind. Das ist doch effizient.

You

Das ist Manipulation und vergiftet unser Teamklima. Ich erwarte, dass alle die gleichen Informationen bekommen.

Technisch gesehen habe ich nichts falsch gemacht. Wenn die Kommunikationsstrukturen hier besser wären, gäbe es das Problem nicht.

Tim lenkt ab und macht das System zum Problem, anstatt sein Verhalten zu reflektieren.

A better approach

Du gehst strategischer vor und appellierst an seine Intelligenz

You

Tim, ich schätze deine analytischen Fähigkeiten sehr. Mir ist ein Muster aufgefallen, das uns als Team schadet, und ich brauche deine Hilfe dabei.

Aber hast du mal daran gedacht, dass ich nur versuche, jedem die relevanten Informationen zu geben?

You

Das verstehe ich. Gleichzeitig führt es dazu, dass Kollegen unterschiedliche Wissensstände haben. Wie können wir das intelligenter lösen?

Hmm, wenn ich es so betrachte... vielleicht sollten wir ein System entwickeln, wo alle gleichzeitig informiert werden. Das wäre tatsächlich effizienter.

Tim fühlt sich als Problemlöser einbezogen und entwickelt selbst eine konstruktive Lösung.

Tim Lehmann

ENTP – "The Debater"

23 years • Junior Specialist

Tim is intelligent, eloquent, and loves intellectual challenges. He sees rules as suggestions, processes as inefficient relics, and hierarchies as outdated concepts. For him, every instruction is the starting signal for a debate.

Typical phrases: "But have you thought about...?", "That's not logical."

💡 This personality type frequently causes the leadership problem "An employee pits colleagues against each other.".

Learn more about the ENTP type

In conversations with manipulative employees

These strategies help you professionally eliminate political games.

Recommended Strategies

Proven approaches for effective leadership

Appeal to their intelligence.

Show respect for their abilities and involve them as problem solvers rather than just criticizing them.

Explain the 'why' behind the rules.

These personality types require logical reasoning to accept rules.

Establish clear communication structures.

Define binding processes for information sharing that leave no room for manipulation.

Document agreements in writing.

This is how you prevent them from claiming they understood something different later on.

Give them complex tasks.

Channel their energy into constructive projects that challenge their intellectual abilities.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Avoid authoritative statements without justification.

"Because I said so" only motivates them to seek loopholes even more creatively.

Don't engage in every debate.

You enjoy engaging in discussions and will turn every conversation into an intellectual challenge.

"Don't underestimate them because of their age."

Young, intelligent employees can quickly sense when they are not taken seriously, and they respond accordingly.

Don't take it personally or get emotional.

Emotional appeals clash with your logical reasoning and weaken your position.

Don't be inconsistent with rules.

They will leverage any inconsistency to argue that rules are arbitrary.

Train in various leadership scenarios with our voice-based role-playing games. Each AI character responds realistically to your words, allowing you to experiment without consequences and prepare effectively.

Discover all scenarios.

Frequently Asked Questions about this Leadership Challenge

Other leaders are asking themselves the same question.

How can I identify if my employee is an ENTP personality type?

You notice that he constantly brings new ideas to the table, enjoys engaging in discussions, and often adopts various, sometimes even contradictory, viewpoints. He loves to challenge established processes, seeks out weaknesses in systems, and regularly tests boundaries. Frequently, he shares different versions of the same story with various colleagues to gauge their reactions.

Why is my employee pitting colleagues against each other – is this intentional?

For ENTP types, the office resembles an intellectual chess game where they enjoy experimenting with various strategies and testing reactions. They are often highly intelligent and view it as an exciting challenge to determine who can be persuaded by which arguments. However, they often fail to realize how much this undermines trust within the team, as they perceive it merely as a harmless thought exercise.

How do I prepare for a conversation with an employee who is pitting colleagues against each other?

Gather specific examples where differing information has led to confusion or conflicts, and document them objectively. Be prepared for him to likely attempt to steer the conversation into a discussion about the logic behind his actions. Define a clear objective in advance: transparent communication and consistent information sharing within the team.

How can I best initiate the conversation without my employee shutting down immediately?

Start with an objective observation about the impact on team dynamics, rather than directly criticizing their behavior. Acknowledge their intelligence and express appreciation for their creative ideas, while emphasizing the need to improve communication within the team. Frame it as a shared challenge that you can tackle together.

What should I do if my employee starts to argue during a conversation and strays off topic?

Politely but firmly redirect the conversation back to the specific behavior and its impact on the team. Acknowledge his arguments briefly, but emphasize that the focus is not on theory, but on practical solutions for team collaboration. Ask concrete questions about his understanding of the situation and encourage him to propose solutions himself.

What happens after the conversation – what should I keep in mind?

Establish specific, measurable behavior changes and regular check-ins, as ENTP types can quickly revert to old patterns. Monitor the team dynamics closely and provide positive feedback when they communicate more transparently. Ensure that important information is documented to avoid misunderstandings.

Does having such a conversation actually help, or does it just make things worse?

ENTP types are highly adaptable and can modify their behavior once they understand why it is problematic and what alternatives exist. Open dialogue is crucial, as the absence of clear boundaries often exacerbates manipulative behavior, negatively impacting the entire team. With the right approach, you can channel their energy into constructive avenues.

When is a conversation no longer sufficient – when should I involve HR?

If the behavior persists after multiple discussions and clear agreements, and significantly impacts work performance or the workplace atmosphere, you should involve HR. This is especially important if colleagues are complaining, considering resignation, or refusing to collaborate altogether. Professional support is essential in these situations. Document all conversations and incidents in case legal action becomes necessary.

How does AI training for challenging employee conversations work?

Select a suitable scenario and engage in a simulated conversation with an AI that mimics your challenging employee. The AI responds in a manner typical of the personality type, presenting you with realistic challenges such as distractions or attempts to debate. After the conversation, you will receive detailed feedback on your communication skills along with specific suggestions for improvement.

Is an AI role-play truly comparable to a real employee conversation?

The AI can realistically simulate the typical behavior patterns and reactions of different personality types, but it cannot replicate the complexity of genuine human emotions. The significant advantage is that you can safely experiment with various conversational approaches and refine your arguments before the actual discussion takes place. This way, you enter the real situation with greater confidence and better preparation.

How much time should I allocate for training?

A single role-play lasts about 5-10 minutes, depending on how in-depth the conversation is. For optimal preparation, you should allocate 20-30 minutes to explore various scenarios and reflect on the feedback. You can flexibly integrate the training into your daily routine and pause or repeat it at any time.

Where can I find more information about the ENTP personality type as a leader?

On our dedicated ENTP page, you'll find a detailed analysis of the strengths and challenges of this personality type in the workplace. You'll also learn how to effectively leverage the creative and innovative abilities of ENTP employees while minimizing the impact of their weaknesses on the team. For comprehensive leadership tips, visit /fuehrung/mbti/entp/.

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