While not a direct report, I still had to interact with this individual within a very large corporation. He is a smooth actor and set his sites on myself and career for whatever reason he had in his mind. It started about 5 years ago with small things at first that I began to notice. Slowly, he began to reach into my life to gain control of mine. I realized what he was doing and began to resent his tactics but not resist. It was after I began to resist is when he ramped up his game on me.

As I said earlier, he was a very smooth actor and socially with the company, well respected. He could do no wrong and was even admired by many. I mentioned my ongoing struggle to a friend of mine who is a therapist, and she quickly identified what I was up against. Amusingly, I read the only treatment was avoidance of the individual. After I knew what I was dealing with, I changed tactics with him. I killed him with kindness which seemed to infuriate him. So much so that he eventually called corporate on me with a tale that my work was insufficient. After a short investigation, I was exonerated and moved on again but with extreme resentment.

Two years ago I had it out with him. I called him out for what he was and came very close, but short of intimidating him with violence. I had, had enough and believe I discovered just where my trigger was. Afterwards, his second in command came in to apologize for him to which I answered the whole incident was grounds for a hostile workplace civil suit. He heard me from the other room and backed off from me for the next 2 years.

Last week, he was fired from the company after a corporate survey was turned in from his staff. A short hearing was held at the business and he was promptly ushered out the door. I am a very strong person but I never had to deal with the likes of this man. My sleep patterns were and still are erratic as well as other disruptions to my normalcy. I did go out with my lady for a celebration. I had to share this because I believe that nobody should ever have to endure what I went through. Don't do what I did and placate these people. Seek help from HR and be done with it.