Even Elizabeth Holmes continued her deception. Just a month before Theranos shut its doors and after being barred from holding a position at a public company by the SEC, she told investors she would likely liquidate the company by the end of July. Yet she still claimed she was going to start a new company! This shows that such individuals have a very different relationship with the truth. Image takes precedence over reality, and they seem to maintain this effortlessly.
Finally, when you confront these types, they will often dismiss your concerns in one of two ways. Either they’ll label you a “hater” and cut you off, as Holmes and her boyfriend did when subordinates raised concerns, or, if you’re more powerful, they might imply that there’s a conspiracy against them. Holmes, for instance, claimed that she couldn’t reveal Theranos’ technology because it was so revolutionary that competitors would steal it. This kind of secrecy, especially when paired with far-fetched reasons, should put you on high alert.
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