You Have a Manipulator in Front of You If You Hear This Way of Speaking, Warns Mentalist Fabien Olicard

You Have a Manipulator in Front of You If You Hear This Way of Speaking, Warns Mentalist Fabien Olicard

A discreet but remarkably effective tip for spotting a manipulator within the first few seconds.

Some conversations leave us with a strange feeling... We come out of an exchange and something feels off, even if we can't quite put our finger on it. This feeling deserves to be taken seriously. Because behind certain ways of speaking lies a harmful intention, often unconscious, sometimes deliberate.

The Rate of Speech: The First Alarm Signal

In an interview given to the podcast Légend, mentalist Fabien Olicard provides a valuable clue to identify a manipulative profile within the first few seconds of a discussion. The most telling sign is noticeable very early in the exchange: a high rate of speech, accompanied by a flood of arguments, even before the conversation has barely begun. And this happens before we have had the chance to respond at all.

This flow of words produces an effect on the brain known as cognitive saturation. By overwhelming the interlocutor with information, the manipulator prevents clear thinking. The brain, overloaded, eventually gives in. And often, ends up agreeing.

The expert illustrates this with a personal anecdote:

"There’s a guy who calls me. He says: I’m having a party with all my partners, you need to come, it’s a Saturday night, it’s unpaid, but everyone who plays along will have work. He’s pulling a fast one on me, I don’t have time to get a word in. I hung up because I was about to say yes."

Creating Distance to Regain Clarity

Hanging up or stepping back when suspecting manipulation allows one to regain their composure. Away from the verbal flood, Fabien Olicard advises analyzing the proposal.

To revisit the anecdote mentioned above, during the break he took, the mentalist realizes that the proposal doesn’t hold: working for free on a Saturday night, among fifty others, for a hypothetical promise of work... The answer is almost obvious.

In summary, Fabien Olicard emphasizes the need to physically or mentally extract oneself from the situation to regain clarity. Going to the restroom, getting some fresh air, asking for time to think. The pressure from the manipulator relies precisely on the urgency they create. Respond immediately, right now, or the opportunity will disappear. This urgency, too, is a signal.

So remember, when faced with a drowning rate of speech, the best weapon remains the pause. And just in case, you have every right to ask for one. "There’s no rush" reminds the mentalist. So take all the time you need to formulate your thoughts.