Zahrai: Manipulators systematically target four core drivers of personal self-doubt
Dr. Shadé Zahrai · Charisma Expert: 5 Ways To Project Confidence (Even When You Don’t Feel It) | Dr. Shadé Zahrai · Jan 14, 2026 · at 45:08
Leadership coach Dr. Shadé Zahrai explains to Codie Sanchez how workplace manipulators exploit specific psychological vulnerabilities.
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“What manipulative behavior will try to do is attack each of these four drivers of self-doubt, which is fascinating. Again, bringing it back to that, they will either make you try to feel, or they will either try to make you feel like you are worthless, which is tapping into your sense of acceptance. They will try to make you doubt your skills or abilities, tapping into agency. They will try to make you feel like you don't have control over a situation or get you to doubt your memory of something. Gaslighting, which relates to the third pillar, which is autonomy, or they'll just fill you with such a sense of overwhelm when you're around them or stress or insecurity that it undermines your belief in what we call adaptability, which is the fourth pillar, the fourth driver of self-doubt.”
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