Emily had been a diligent employee, known for her attention to detail and creativity. When her boss seemed to be singling out her work, it felt flattering; he praised her ideas in meetings and asked for her input on important projects. However, the praise soon turned into subtle criticism.
“Did you really think that approach would work?” he would ask, raising an eyebrow when Emily shared her suggestions. “I thought we agreed on a different strategy.” Confused, she started to question her own decisions.
Finally, during a team meeting, Mark presented one of Emily’s ideas as his own. She sat in stunned silence as her colleagues applauded him, the shadows of doubt thickening. When she approached him, asking if they could discuss the credit for the idea, he brushed her off. “You must be mistaken, Emily. I clearly remember you agreeing with me.”
Each day, Emily felt the ground beneath her shift. The confident employee she once was now questioned every choice. Was she truly that forgetful?
Emily didn’t know it, but she was a victim of gaslighting, a form of emotional abuse in which one person manipulates others by making them think they’re confused or crazy or “off”. The term was coined from the 1944 movie “Gaslight” in which Charles Boyer convinces Ingred Bergman that she is losing her mind. As in the movie, victims start to doubt themselves, apologizing frequently and becoming more and more insecure.
Emily was fortunate, she stumbled upon an old email that confirmed her original idea. A surge of clarity washed over her. Mark had manipulated her perception all along. She realized she wasn’t alone; many had noticed his tactics. Empowered, she began documenting her ideas and interactions, determined to reclaim her voice and expose the truth behind the shadows.
The road is easier together,
Linda Laitala, President
Raven Performance Group