There are 11 sneaky ways bullies take power. Know what they are? Here’s everything you need to know.

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Bullies have ways of disarming those in power. Ever wondered how? In this post, you will learn the 11 sneaky ways bullies take power so that you can build your own strategy and protect yourself.
Once you learn all about these crucial details, you will be better able to protect yourself from charismatic bullies who use their charm to make you look like the aggressor.
This post is all about the 11 sneaky ways bullies take power so that you won’t be confused when you see it happen. Instead, you’ll recognize the pattern as it occurs.
11 Sneaky Ways Bullies Take Power
Bullies are sneaky little devils, aren’t they? They have ways of making others, especially those who are “important,” like them. As a result, they collect promotions, scholarships, and other trophies that move them upward and give them more power.
Here’s how they do it.
1. They suck up to authority.
This is how many bullies get promoted at work. Also, it’s how many curry favors with teachers at school. They implement strategies to ingratiate themselves with people in power.
If nothing else, understand this. Reputation is protection.
a. They act one way in front of some people and another in front of others.
Most bullies aren’t openly aggressive. They do their dirt in private. Bullies often act respectfully in front of teachers or managers. Then they behave badly when they aren’t around.
But understand this is a part of their strategy. And it’s to create a good guy image, just in case you get fed up with their abuse and report them.
You see? If you can score brownie points with the right people, then you can get away with almost anything. Kiss the right asses, and you reap lots of rewards.
11 Sneaky Ways Bullies Take Power:
b. They become assistants to authority.
For instance, a school bully may offer to help a teacher carry their books and teaching supplies out to their car.
A workplace bully may offer to stay over and help the boss complete a task. They do this to appear cooperative and helpful. They also do it to look confident and socially intelligent.
School bullies may become the teacher’s helper to appear more mature than their age.
But make no mistake. There’s a main reason they do this. You see? This is a preemptive strategy. How?
Bullies will gain favor from teachers and bosses, just in case you report them. And when you do, then authority is more likely to come back with, “Well, that doesn’t sound like them.”
Therefore, because the bully has already built a “good guy” identity, it creates cognitive dissonance in members of authority. And it makes them least likely to believe a word you say.
Put another way, if authority figures see the bully as charismatic and mature, then any accusations against them are harder to believe.
And you end up looking unstable, dramatic, or vindictive. Or, they may label you as “too sensitive” or “too emotional.”
This is what bullies count on.
11. Sneaky Ways Bullies Take Power:
2. They figure out what authority wants.
Seasoned bullies study authority figures carefully. They notice what gets praise, what makes authority feel respected, and what they like to hear.
Therefore, they figure out what behaviors the authority rewards. Once bullies know these things, they mirror the behavior authority expects.
For instance, bullies may flatter the boss. And why not? With people in power, especially those who are full of themselves, flattery gets you everywhere.
They may help the teacher while others watch them. They may act responsibly in public. Or, they might agree with the manager’s opinion on things.
This creates trust. And with trust comes preferential treatment.
3. They Act Nice to Everyone else but abusive to you.
When bullies use this tactic, you may see one version of the bully. But everyone else sees an entirely different one. Put simply, they may be Dr. Jekyll to everyone else, but Hyde to you.
Understand that this is a preemptive strategy. There are four reasons bullies do this.
- To single you out and make you feel completely alone.
- They also do it to make you feel like the defective one.
- To get on everyone else’s good side in case you speak out about their abuse.
- To silence you.
Bullies know that if they abuse you long enough, you’ll eventually get tired of it. Then you’ll likely report them or tell someone else about how they’re treating you.
And because others have only seen the bully’s good side, they’ll find it hard to believe. Moreover, they may label you as mentally unstable. Or, they might think that you’re jealous of the bully.
Therefore, they may blame you while the bully gets off scot-free. And once that happens, you’ll be too afraid to speak out. Therefore, it will be much safer to stay silent.
11 Sneaky Ways Bullies Take Power:
4. They lie convincingly.
Bullies are wordsmiths. So, when they lie, they sound convincing. Moreover, they may take things out of context to make you look bad.
Or, they may twist situations to fit their narrative. However, others will lap it up like thirsty dogs.
5. They Act one way in public and another in private.
They bully you when no one else is around. Or, they may bully you openly, but only after they’ve destroyed your reputation.
Once your reputation is trashed, people will think that you deserve the abuse. Therefore, they won’t intervene.
Bullies may also use subtle bullying tactics that others won’t notice. But they’ll make damn sure you get the point loud and clear.
11 Sneaky Ways Bullies Take Power:
6. They use plausible deniability as a shield.
Well-practiced bullies tend to avoid obvious abuse. Instead, they disguise it as joking. They may also use sarcasm and backhanded compliments.
Many sophisticated bullies use silent tactics, such as exclusion. That way, if you confront them, they can say,
- “It was just a joke.”
- “You’re too sensitive.”
- “I don’t remember saying that.”
- “You misunderstood what I was trying to say.”
- “You take things the wrong way.”
And because their behavior is confusing, as it is meant to be, others hesitate to take it seriously. And they label you as unhinged.
7. They Preemptively shape the narrative.
Bullies quietly attack your credibility before any visible conflict happens. In other words, they sneakily discredit you to prepare for later conflict.
They may tell others that you’re difficult. Or they may say that you’re a drama queen. For example, they may say, “Bless her heart, she takes things so personally.”
Or the bully may ask, “Why is he so upset all the time?” But make no mistake. This is all by design. Your bully is making you out to be a bad person before they attack you, and you report them.
And when you do report them, the authority figure will already have a distorted mental picture of you.
“Well, maybe the problem is YOU.”
Therefore, the bully will have that extra layer of protection that shields them from any accountability.
11 Sneaky Ways Bullies Take Power:
8. They Surround themselves with supporters and admirers.
Bullies may surround themselves with people who laugh at their jokes and socialize with them. Some may even admire and adore them.
These followers may also defend them when you confront them for their behavior. But you must see it for what it is.
This is how bullies create social proof. Think about it. If everyone likes them, people in authority may assume that they are a good person. It’s natural for humans to trust group opinions.
9. They play the victim.
Bullies don’t mind dishing out the nastiness. However, when you start giving it back to them, they’ll play the victim role really quickly. In fact, they’re the biggest crybabies in the world!
They’ll quickly turn on the waterworks. They’ll cry those crocodile tears and play the victim. Unfortunately, they’ll do it so convincingly that others may fall for their bullshit.
Or, they may get angry at you for defending yourself. Why? Because, in their minds, you’re inferior. So, you should just shut your mouth and take it.
For instance, if you hold them accountable for anything, your bullies will bitch, moan, and regress into a toddler. If you stand up to them, they may run to a teacher or boss-man and cry like a little bitch.
They might throw a temper tantrum, railing against the injustice and unfairness of it all.
Also, they may do something to get back at you. Understand that cry-bullies must always get their way. This is why they get furious with you and throw a fit.
Then, they’ll tell anyone who’ll listen that you’re the bully.
11 Sneaky Ways Bullies Take Power:
10. They sow discord among you and others.
Bullies will often instigate fights between you and others. For instance, they may lie and tell someone else that you’re talking about them behind their back.
Then, when that person confronts you, it catches you off guard. They’re lashing out over something you know nothing about.
And you’re likely to push back at them in self-defense. Or, you may apologize profusely. Not because you’re guilty, but to get the person off your back.
Therefore, the bully has created enmity between you and another person.
As a result, this only further discredits you as a person.
11. They launch smear campaigns.
Smear campaigns are the most effective at tarnishing someone’s reputation. Bullies do this by spreading rumors and gossip.
And if they’re charismatic bullies, others will likely believe them. Who’s going to help you when you have a bad reputation? It doesn’t matter whether the reputation is deserved or not.
BONUS:
12. They Take Advantage of Human Biases.
People in authority are human just like the rest of us. They can be impressed by charisma. Those in power also admire confidence and humor. They like physical attractiveness. And they prefer shared interests.
Bullies are experts at human nature. So, they instinctively know this.
For example, if the bully is a high academic achiever or a student athlete, they’ll get better treatment than a quiet, obscure victim. Therefore, they’ll get the benefit of the doubt if you report them for bullying you.
11 Sneaky Ways Bullies Take Power:
In Conclusion
Bullies collect power in ways few realize. Let’s do a quick recap before we close. Here’s what bullies do to take power.
- Suck up to authority.
- Figure out what the authority wants.
- Act nice to everyone else, but are abusive to you.
- Lie convincingly.
- Act one way in public and another in private.
- Use plausible deniability as a shield.
- Preemptively shape the narrative.
- Surround themselves with supporters and admirers.
- Play the victim.
- Sow discord among you and others.
- Launch smear campaigns
- Take advantage of human biases.
Now that you know these tactics, you can better protect yourself from becoming a victim.
This post was all about the 11 sneaky ways bullies take power so that you can recognize this pattern and come up with strategies to protect yourself.
Related posts you’ll enjoy:
1. Bullying Techniques: 5 Top Sneakiest Tactics
2. Over Apologizing Trauma Response: 9 Easy Ways to Overcome It
3. How to Stop a Bully from Bullying You: 7 Powerful Strategies
4. How to Defend Yourself from Bullies: 5 Powerful Strategies













