17 Habits That Untrustworthy People Have in Common
Being aware of the ins and outs of untrustworthy people can save you from being hooked by them and a potential deception. The things that untrustworthy individuals do very often have one thing in common: they are dishonest. These 17 habits tend to be shared among untrustworthy people.
Frequent Lying
It is also referred to as compulsive or pathological lying. One sure sign of a habitual liar is that he or she is not to be trusted. They talk this trash, fabricating stories about their whereabouts or exaggerating their achievements.
This is, in fact, part of a personality disorder such as antisocial, narcissistic, or histrionic, says WebMD. Repeated lying breaks trust.
Breaking Promises
Josh Billings coined the phrase that some promises are supposed to be broken. The reality is that broken promises have harmed relationships and broken trust.
This may result in self-esteem problems and guilt and shame in the person who broke the promise, and the other may also feel guilty or ashamed. They may not be able to meet commitments and rely on someone.
Lack of Accountability
One of the main bad traits of untrustworthy people is that they tend never to take responsibility for their actions. Often, they shift the blame to other people and try to avoid any consequences for their mistakes.
This is a sign of immaturity and makes it pretty hard for others to get on board with leaving you to lead on high-stakes projects.
Manipulation
Distrustful manipulators usually employ deceit to get their way and often pretend to be victims to stimulate sympathy.
This behavior emotionally wrecks those around them and indicates untrustworthiness. People who are focused on their self-interest are unreliable.
Inconsistent Behavior
People with inconsistent behavior say one thing but do another, which can make people feel confused and doubtful. It’s unsettling, and finding a relationship based on reliability is hard. If the actions don’t match the words, it’s usually a sign there isn’t real intent.
Concealing Information
The untrustworthy also tend to be secretive or perhaps withhold vital information. PNAS, a scientific journal, states that not delivering important information can mislead people and cause them to disconnect more, making it harder for them to trust.
Gossiping About Others
Gossip erodes trust, and care and engagement fall away from teams and organizations. Gossip is not always morally wrong; however, it is ethically wrong if used to get ahead or gain an advantage.
Taking Credit for Others’ Work
Untrustworthy people might claim the efforts of others, claiming ideas or accomplishments for their own. Such behavior displays a total lack of integrity and evidence of a willingness to lie to one’s advantage, a problem in collaborative settings.
Flattering to Manipulate
There are, however, some who make use of deceit by exploiting the overuse of flattery to deceive others. If all you do is hand out excessive compliments, followed by requests to do favors, you are giving off the impression that something sinister is happening.
As Jason Whiting, Ph. D., a contributor to Psychology Today, says, flattery is dishonesty when used to get or control. This insincerity obscures genuine appreciation, making knowing good intentions impossible.
Self-Serving Actions
Also, such people work on their interests and not those of others, and they only help when it serves them. A study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that people can use moral flexibility to justify their self-interested actions if they benefit others and themselves.
This self-centered and selfish approach does not regard other people’s needs and is based on a lack of trust in people and relationships.
Deflecting Criticism
Those who aren’t trustworthy will change tack or offer excuses when they have been called out. They take constructive feedback, turning it into blame, refusing to take responsibility to grow, and to the detriment of trust between friends, in the workplace, or any space.
Exaggerating Achievements
Marketing Eye Atlanta states that they may feel their achievements are more significant than they are and that they are entitled to special treatment. This behavior erodes credibility and implies a lack of actual self-esteem and authenticity.
Never Apologizing
Most untrustworthy people never logically apologize or admit their wrongs. When you dodge responsibility for having caused harm, you are unwilling to take responsibility, which knocks the wind out of trust and trust building.
Disregarding Boundaries
Not respecting boundaries and personal space is a sign of untrustworthiness. Thus, individuals who never cease and never listen to privacy requests persistently both offend and violate the comfort and trust of others.
Anything that requires a trustworthy relationship, such as strengthening accountability and reciprocity, starts somewhere by recognizing and respecting each party’s boundaries.
Inconsistency in Values
Usually, such people change their values for their convenience. It’s hard to believe their commitments or beliefs when you support something when acting is good for them.
Playing the Victim
Con artists always present themselves as victims to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, a way that’s both dishonest and distorted of the world — a mean trick that clouds the truth and deflects the attention to themselves.
Gaslighting
Gaslighting means to make others question reality, something con artists commonly do. Refusing facts or making someone feel irrational breaks that person’s trust in a profoundly influential way. WebMD states that gaslighting is terrible for your mental health.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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