Things are not going well with your coworker, assistant, or colleague. You have the sense they are professionally sabotaging your career. How can you be sure? While it may be difficult to prove, there are warning signs you should watch for. Here are a few and how you might address them.
When an employee…
- Appears to be collecting evidence against you — listening in on conversations, reading your e-mails, asking others questions about you.
- Seems pleased when you make even the smallest of mistakes.
- Is quick to relay bad news, especially if it impacts or reflects on you.
- Attempts to go over your head — failing to CC you on e-mails for example.
- Leaves you out of the decisionmaking loop and making decisions they are not authorized to make.
- Seen having private conferences with your boss or other influential people.
- “Accidently” forgets to tell you important information.
- Abruptly ends conversations when you appear.
- Encourages staff to see negative traits in you.
- Says “I” when it clearly should be “you” or “we.”
- Blatantly defies or minimizes you in front of others.
- Tells you incorrect or misleading information intentionally.
- Disagrees more than agrees, especially in public.
- Always attempting to get the upper hand.
- Shows intolerance or disinterest in you.
- Calls in sick or is late at times when you most need the help.
- Interested in learning the intricacies of your job, even when he/she doesn’t do that work.
So… what can you do?
- Make sure you don’t have an overactive imagination or you are not, in fact, in trouble and looking for someone to blame.
- Strengthen your visibility with senior management.
- Strive to keep everyone informed, so they know you know.
- Be more available for casual conversations with your staff.
- Never bad mouth the saboteur, it fuels their rage.
- Initially correct the person privately. If the behavior continues say, “Chris, you know that’s not correct. Why would you say that?” Puts him/her on warning.
- Question the person’s lack of team building.
- Build a defense file of mistakes the saboteur makes. Keep it on your personal computer.
- Use the performance evaluation process to address your concerns.
- Keep it professional, never personal.
- Explore moving the person out or over.
- Build a group of advocates, mentors, and supporters — people who will defend you, take your side, and tell the truth.
- In terms of “what’s best for the organization,” discuss your observations and concerns. Make it about the team and not about him/her or you.
- Confront the person directly.
- Confide in friend or former co-worker. Have them listen to the details and give you their take.
- Conference with your supervisor.
An individual can cause significant damage in sabotaging your career if they are allowed, or given the opportunity, to do so. For some, it is blind ambition. For others, it is their competitive personality. Others their own insecurities and for a few, a real psychological problem. The genesis isn’t important — it’s your awareness and actions that matter.
Be alert to the warning signs. If you think there is a possibility of someone sabotaging your career, assume you’re right and be happy if you can prove yourself wrong.
Be diligent. This is a draining and exhausting process. Take a systematic, professional approach. Try and keep your emotions out of it.
Be very slow to quit or give up. It’s tempting but difficult to live with. Besides, this type of person exists in every organization.
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