Have you ever found yourself at the mercy of a manipulative person? It’s only after you’ve known them for a while that you realize how controlling they are.
And how they’ve successfully convinced you to do things you didn’t want to do.
While it can be easy to spot the signs that you’re dealing with a manipulative person, it’s a bit more challenging when you’re dealing with someone highly intelligent.
Dealing with manipulative people can be extremely stressful and can even be detrimental to your mental health.
So today, we’re going to identify 9 signs that you’re interacting with an intelligent but manipulative person.
1) They’re charismatic.
Charismatic people know the art of capturing people’s attention and gaining their trust.
It’s not about what they say, it’s about how they say it. They may be very witty, funny, and interesting.
And they know it. They know how to adjust their persona to suit other people’s tastes.
If you know someone like this, notice how people naturally trust them. You will find that other people willingly share their problems and secrets with you, and they are also willing to do whatever they say.
Even if it involves doing something that the other person is uncomfortable with, a charming and manipulative person can convince them otherwise.
2) They share information selectively.
Another sign that you are dealing with a clever and manipulative person is the way they share information.
This can be difficult to understand, but watch how they never give you the full story.
You can try asking someone else about the same incident to find out what details they intentionally left out, and then ask yourself why they did that.
Is it because they wanted you to take action? Is it because they didn’t want you to look at the situation in a certain way?
Also, watch how they never reveal more information about themselves than is necessary. In a way, they know everything about everyone, but no one knows who the manipulative people are.
Doing this helps them hide their true intentions, especially when they are trying to get someone to do what they want.
3) They use flattery and compliments strategically.
This is also another common sign that you are dealing with a manipulative person.
Have you ever received a compliment that made you think twice? Receiving compliments is something most people enjoy.
But if you pay attention to the context of the situation or perhaps the way the other person says it, you may discover that there is something more to this seemingly innocent compliment.
Compliment can be used to win someone over, and manipulative people use this as a weapon.
They make the other person feel good about themselves by stroking their ego and as a result, they lower their guard and allow themselves to be manipulated – often without them knowing.
4) Their empathy is calculated.
Sure, these people may show some level of empathy, but it is only to serve their purpose.
They use this in a calculated way – just enough to gain the other person’s trust so they can get what they want.
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They don’t care about others at all. However, they will appear to do so.
You may find them saying the right things when someone else is depressed, or offering seemingly good words of advice to someone else who is going through a tough time.
But be wary of these people because the moment they get what they want, they will abandon you.
5) They are very good at reading people.
Highly intelligent people know how to read people. They know what drives them, the reasons for their behaviors, and what they are thinking, despite the expressions on their faces at the time.
It may seem to you that this person has an understanding heart. But in reality, they are just exploiting this knowledge so that they can use your weaknesses to their advantage.
They exploit the way you react to certain things, your weaknesses and flaws.
Then one day, they will find an opportunity to betray that trust you have placed in them.
6) They are meticulous planners.
Smart manipulators are also meticulous planners. They can organize a detailed plan to achieve what they want.
And they are very patient.
They know how to avoid detection or having anything attributed to them. You usually only realize that something is wrong after the whole situation is over.
The reason for this is…
7) They are very good at manipulation.
Manipulation usually involves manipulating someone into questioning their version of reality.
Highly intelligent manipulators are very good at this. They will convince you that what you saw or remembered was wrong.
They may even convince you that your feelings – however justified – are unfounded. Worse still, they may make you question your sanity.
This gives them the upper hand in the situation, enabling them to control or undermine you.
8) They intimidate people but not enough to scare them.
You may have identified that the person you are dealing with is highly manipulative. But there is a part of you that is afraid of them.
But they are not that scary – there is just a part of them that you fear. And if you push them too hard, they can become aggressive and angry.
This is because they have put themselves in a situation that is scary, but not too scary – and that will scare people.
What they need is for people to trust them.
9) They have a good command of the words they use.
The final sign of a smart manipulator is that they are very good at twisting their words.
They have a complete mastery of their word choice and can determine the right words to say in every situation to suit their needs.
Their arguments are very well-crafted and convincing. You may not question anything they say.
Even if you did, they would have a thousand reasons to prove you wrong and they are right.
They can use words to influence the way you feel about situations as well. They can manipulate language to create confusion, justify their actions, or make themselves seem like the victim in a problem they created in the first place.
Closing Thoughts
It is not easy to deal with a manipulator, let alone a very intelligent person.
In such situations, it is important to trust your instincts. If you are not comfortable with something, avoid them.
If you suspect that this person may be taking advantage of you, consult a friend you trust and get someone else’s perspective.
Don’t let anyone manipulate your reality and make you doubt your sanity!
