\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Save all emails where you have contributed original ideas and work. This button displays the currently selected search type. Sabotaging Heres how you can tell! For instance, save all emails with pertinent ideas you contributed and work you've done. Ensure your reaction to a backstabber making themselves known is one which communicates your expectation of such an event, not surprise. Someone who is hypercompetitive tries to beat out everyone, however someone who is actively undermining others wants to see coworkers fail. Chances are you will come up with a far more constructive solution to your problem once the emotions have died down. Remember that your current position is not your whole life but rather a stepping stone towards achieving your goals. Remaining more general in your anticipation of sabotage in the professional realm will naturally force you to be less trusting and more skeptical as a whole. Whether he acknowledges his behavior or not, youve alerted him that you know that he is sabotaging you, and that you are not afraid to address his behavior. With over 10 years of clinical experience, Dr. Gardner provides individually tailored psychotherapy for adults using cognitive behavioral techniques, to reduce symptoms and improve overall functioning. A recruiter shares in a viral TikTok how to deal with toxic co-workersby getting everything they ask for in writing. Describe how you would like your interactions to be. Being happy, successful, and popular is the best way to defend yourself against a saboteur. He then completed a post-doc fellowship at Kaiser Permanente. We all like to think of our co-workers as friends, but what happens when you become the target of a coworker's dirty politics? Reach out to co-workers whove had problems with the colleague in the past and ask how theyve handled the sabotage. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 67,856 times. Dont let their behavior make you doubt yourself! "Always have backup for everything you've done in case a coworker tries to place blame on you," says Aubyn Peterson, an administrative assistant for the Miss USA Pageant. A narcissistic coworker is a fellow employee that suffers from narcissistic personality disorder. A co-worker who resorts to sabotage as a way of coping might find it hard to deal with colleagues in any other way. To ensure that youre focusing on the bigger picture, write down your goals and decide on actionable steps you can take to achieve them. If your coworkers were present during an event or conversation, write a summary of what happened and have them sign and date the document as proof of what actually occurred. Just be mindful of what theyre usually looking for, and dont give them any more ammo where possible. This article provides tools for you to employ in dealing with sabotaging subordinates and backstabbing coworkers. Coworker Blogging about a wide range of topics to help facilitate a better future. Password-protect your computer so your colleague cannot access and alter documents. #inline-recirc-item--id-dc79655a-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-dc79655a-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { First of all, your boss is a full fledged weenie manager. Part of the secret to maintaining a good relationship with your boss is simply keeping a line of communication open, just as you would to promote your work. Being visibly disgruntled at the news of backstabbing behavior communicates to others that a sensitivity of yours was successfully pried open. You can also bring another coworker with you to support your claims. They will seem warm and happy one day, and extremely chilly the next. What is a Career Break and is it Right for You? Be polite and respectful, but dont pull your punches. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. I'm not mean, and I try to feel sorry for him for being in a state of mind that triggers him to create drama to make himself feel better.". Narcissist Coworkers Always Take Credit for What You Do. When other employees know that you are a conscientious employee, they might be less likely to believe any lies the backstabber spreads and be more likely to support you. If the saboteur feels threatened by you or thinks that youve wronged them, is there anything that you can do to alleviate the situation? Act, don't react. Determine if your coworker is actively sabotaging you and your coworkers by taking note of their behaviors and actions. Be alert and polite while protecting yourself and your reputation. How do you professionally complain about a coworker? Be the Adult in the Room. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. One of the worst things you can do when youre facing workplace sabotage is to tell others on the job what you feel is going on. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. They usually do not care about the outcome of the project. Signs a Co-Worker May Be Out to Building a culture of zero tolerance. "I don't give the person the time of day. For more tips on avoiding and countering gaslighting in the work place here . Coworkers Once you have determined that you have real WebIf Rufus and Walter were your co workersHow would you handle this? You want them to either get bored and move onto someone else or resolve the issue through the correct channels. Submit all work tasks ahead of time and ensure that the quality of your work is impeccable. Say that you expect him to come to you with concerns instead of speaking to your supervisor or airing complaints and criticism publicly. Step 2 Open up the lines of communication. Why You Narcissist Coworker Is Ignoring You & What To Do About It, The Gaslighting Narcissistic Boss Employees Survival Guide, Forget that you had a role in the accomplishment, Put their name first, delete or hide your name, Be sure to report first so they can take credit, Make sure they are highly visible in photos and records, even if they took a minor part, Diminish your impact, and talk up their role, Wholesale steal your work and pass it off as theirs, Assigning tasks to you that are too difficult, or impossible to do right, Not giving you proper warning, hoping to catch you unaware of changes, Failing to pass on key information or advice that would help you succeed, Throwing a wrench in the works, so that things purposely go wrong, Turning other employees against you in an attempt to sabotage your ability to work effectively as a team, You have sordid romantic encounters or an embarrassing love life, You arent as smart as me because you have a bachelors degree and I have a masters., You may be smart, but you arent a good salesman like me., Ill take over, because the boss wants someone who knows what they are doing., This is much better than your normal work!. Anticipate Sabotage With Patterns to Remain Unhinged, Remaining more general in your anticipation of sabotage in the professional realm will naturally force you to be less trusting and more skeptical as a whole. Additionally, its helpful to ask questions to get a better understanding of the feedback and to take the time to reflect on what you have heard and how you can use it to make improvements. Before you go to your boss, talk to your colleagues to see if theyve also had issues with your problematic coworker. 8 Ways to Stop a Coworker From Sabotaging Your WebSabotaged at Work | What To Do About Backstabbing Coworkers & Bad Bosses // Are dealing with a sabotaging coworkers or a sabotaging boss? display: none; If you answered yes to these questions, then chances are you are dealing with an undermining coworker. They will constantly we weaving webs of deception around you when they are alone with other coworkers, supervisors, and bosses.