Why do bosses lie

Employees are a cost, and companies tend to value assets and increased revenue far more than costs. In James' view, this is a particularly telling lie: "This kind of platitude, rather than reassuring employees, simply convinces them that you can't be trusted to tell them the real truth. About a quarter 23 percent admitted to practicing favoritism themselves, with 56 percent deciding in advance which candidate they'd promote.

With 83 percent saying favoritism leads to poor promotion decisions, it can have a detrimental effect on an entire workplace, study author Jonathan Gardner says. Nepotism makes human resources departments' jobs much harder. It makes clear that a company favors certain employees over others, crushes morale, and lowers expectations that hard work will be rewarded. Nepotism isn't actually illegal, but employees know it when they see it and aren't amused when a boss lies about it.

Ask for a copy of the company's last five-year plan. According to James, you'll discover that few companies actually work on five-year cycles.

Priorities and decisions can change year by year, depending on performance — and even that seems like a luxury. The potential for advancement is a big draw for a company, especially if your boss suggests you're being groomed for a specific position.

If you were promised training and resources that haven't panned out, you may have been lied to. Employees should give their boss a chance to explain first: Restate your goals for advancement and ask about the timetable for moving forward.

If a boss hedges or dodges, it might be time to consider a move, Stacy Lindenberg, owner of Talent Seed Consulting, tells Monster. A boss who claims to keep their mind and ears open but proves especially stubborn can be a huge problem for employees. But there are ways to argue a case without being insubordinate. Find areas to compromise and document every step of the argument along the way.

A boss's hope is that an employee will be more successful; their job is to get the best worker performance they can. That may help a boss rise through the ranks, but it won't make an employee better. A boss stealing a great idea or taking credit for it? It happens way more often than we can express.

Don't get confrontational about it, though: Document your work, talk to them about it, and, if it keeps happening, talk either to human resources or consider going elsewhere. But if the lying is only for your boss's benefit, and impacts you or your team negatively, then you may find it harder, or unacceptable, to deal with. If you've considered the above approaches and still think you need to have a frank talk with your boss, do so practically and leave as much emotion out of it as you can.

Start by saying something like "This is what I heard from you," instead of saying "This is what you said," which immediately could put your boss on the defense. Then explain what you've heard elsewhere and the impact it had on you. Remember: the one thing you don't know until you talk to your boss is why he or she did what they did. The key to having this conversation go smoothly is telling your boss that you've come to him or her to understand what is really going on. Need more boss tips? Check outPart 1: How to become indispensable to your boss ; Part 2: Handling a bored boss ; and Part 3: Can you ignore your boss?

All articles. There are times when managers skirt the truth or withhold information. Here's the best way to deal with a boss that lies. Last in a series. Once you spot deceit, you have to choose between the lesser of two evils. If you confront your boss, you may poison the relationship forever. Think before you act, gossip, or complain. Have a hard conversation with yourself. Do you want to keep your job? Confrontation or sounding an alarm is not a good way to do that. But if changing jobs is not out of the question, it may make sense to directly address the deceit.

Turn the situation around. Before you engage in a hard conversation, try to understand the motivations your boss may have had. Is he trying to be discreet about a pending merger which is morally understandable , or is he trying to hide a series of illegal kickbacks morally repugnant?

Perhaps what feels like deceit to you is actually an attempt by your boss to protect you. Never confront your boss alone if you suspect laws have been broken; always consult an attorney first.

Have the hard conversation. Never corner or ambush your superior. If you choose to clear the air, provide a face-saving escape. This is how to spot the telltale signs of a little white lie, and how to deftly craft your reply without overstepping your bounds. How do they act when not under pressure?

What does their laugh sound like? Do they tend to fidget? These are all good observations to take note of. But check out these lesser known tells. A lie can not only be spotted by the words being said, but also by how the words are being said. Kinsey Goman says liars often exhibit these vocal behaviors:. Granted, there are lies and there are lies —the kind that can implicate one in a crime.