“‘Influencer’ Marketing Coworker Lived A Lie And It Fell Apart Gloriously”

The subreddit r/CoworkerStories invites people to share the bizarre, frustrating, and sometimes comical experiences they’ve had on the job. One such post, by user Shauni55, begins innocently enough: a new marketing hire joins a mid-sized company and is introduced to a flashy, well-connected social media manager named Lewis.

But as they got used to everyday operations, the employee started to notice that what seemed like a quirky personality was more of a corporate manipulator. However, there are only so many meetings you can attend without having a clue about what’s going on. Eventually, the lies catch up.

The “fake it til you make it” is a high-variance approach to career planning

Young influencer marketing coworker takes a selfie confidently at an outdoor office gathering with blurred colleagues in background

Image credits: oneinchpunchphotos (not the actual photo)

Which means there is a good chance you might fall down the ladder instead of climbing it

Marketing team discussing influencer marketing strategy during a meeting in a modern office environment.

Text excerpt about an influencer marketing coworker who lived a lie, revealing the truth behind social media claims.

Text describing a coworker’s lack of marketing skills and absence from meetings during influencer marketing projects.

Text about an influencer coworker bragging on social media and business dealings, raising manager's interest.

Text excerpt describing a marketing coworker’s downfall in influencer marketing after living a lie at work.

Business colleagues in a discussion, one pointing while reviewing documents, illustrating influencer marketing coworker conflict.

Image credits: Freedomtumz (not the actual photo)

Text excerpt describing a coworker involved in influencer marketing who fabricated stories, causing embarrassment at work.

Text excerpt about an influencer marketing coworker’s deception discovered among local business people.

Text excerpt describing a fake influencer’s lies, banned from offices and caught sneaking into executives’ spaces.

Text excerpt describing an influencer marketing coworker who lived a lie and caused workplace issues.

Text on a white background stating a fired influencer marketing coworker named Lewis left on a plane and never returned.

Image credits: shauni55

Fauxductivity is a real thing, but this is just ridiculous

According to a survey from Workhuman, 33% of people say they fake their productivity, and 48% of managers say that it’s a common issue on their team

However, employees say they usually do this out of the need to protect their well-being. The study found that the most common reasons why people engage in fauxductivity are:

• The desire to have a better work-life balance;
• Feeling burned out;
• Not having enough work;
• Unrealistic expectations;
• Wanting to appease management.

Performance and motivation have spillover effects. When people work with others who are engaged and productive, they personally tend to be more engaged and productive.

More particularly, a study by Harvard discovered that when people sit within 25 feet (7.6 meters) of a top employee, their performance increases by 15%.

But it appears that Lewis was more interested in status than in doing any actual work.

Image credits: Wavebreakmedia (not the actual photo)

You could say that Lewis shouldn’t have gotten the job in the first place, but interviewing isn’t the same thing as working

A study published in the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition uncovered several approaches to spotting liars based on a job interviewing technique that, funnily enough, backs up the effectiveness of what Elon Musk said he’s been doing for years.

One such technique is called “Asymmetric Information Management” (AIM), and it’s designed to provide an interviewee with a clear means to demonstrate their innocence or guilt to the investigator by providing detailed information. Specifically, interviewers should give clear instructions to interviewees that “if they provide longer, more detailed statements about the event of interest, then the investigator will be better able to detect if they are telling the truth or lying.”

Typically, truth-tellers seek to provide more detailed information in response to such instructions, while liars are more likely to strategically withhold information, hoping it will make it harder for the investigator to expose them.

But while the AIM method can increase the likelihood of detecting liars by nearly 70%, it’s still not bulletproof.

Image credits: lithiumphoto (not the actual photo)

After their story went viral, the employee provided more information about their former manager

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about an influencer marketing coworker who lived a lie and it fell apart.

Text conversation about an influencer marketing coworker who lived a lie and suddenly disappeared after being fired.

Reddit discussion about an influencer marketing coworker whose false lifestyle eventually fell apart in an office setting.

Conversation screenshot showing users discussing a fake name choice related to an influencer marketing coworker situation.

Turns out, these thing happen more often than one might expect

Screenshot of an online comment discussing influencer marketing coworker and their downfall in a casual tone.

Screenshot of a social media thread about an influencer coworker whose follower count was artificially inflated using automated scripts.

Reddit comments discussing a coworker involved in influencer marketing whose deception was revealed humorously.

Reddit comment text discussing a fictional story about an influencer marketing coworker living a lie that unraveled.

Comment discussing influencer marketing misconceptions, highlighting lack of real knowledge despite influencer status.

Comment on Reddit discussing a modern Seinfeld episode, questioning if the character is George or Kramer in a humorous coworker story about influencer marketing.

Comment about an influencer coworker who lived a lie, having no work but paid tens of thousands monthly in an online discussion.

Comment discussing influencer marketing coworker who lived a lie and the consequences of faking success in a work context.

Screenshot of an online comment about an influencer marketing coworker whose deceptive behavior was exposed online.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing the term influencer and its interchangeable meaning with nobody in conversation.

Reddit comment questioning if an influencer marketing coworker moved to Florida and became a floor manager at a small restaurant.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment referencing an influencer marketing coworker who lived a lie that fell apart.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing an influencer marketing coworker who lived a lie that spectacularly fell apart.

Screenshot of a social media comment humorously reacting to an influencer marketing coworker’s exposed lie.

A Reddit comment thread discussing influencer marketing coworker who lived a lie and faced fallout online.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing an influencer coworker who lived a lie that ultimately fell apart.

Text post discussing an influencer marketing coworker living a lie and causing workplace frustration.

Comment from a user reacting to an influencer marketing coworker’s story, expressing fascination and self-reflection.

Text comment about influencer marketing coworker living a lie, highlighting deception and keeping up appearances online.

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