Admit it. You’ve got one in your office. Perhaps you’ve been accused of being one. .jpg)
The back stabber is someone no one wants to know and unless you’re educated in the ways of tackling one of these energy-suckers, you’re in for a long and painful battle in the tough world of office politics.
According to Dr. Mitchell Kusy, management consultant and co-author of Toxic Workplace! Managing Toxic Personalities and their Systems of Power, both male and female workers practice backbiting behavior with equal intensity. In a research that Kusy conducted with over 400 respondents, the backstabbing worker exhibited certain distinctive character traits. “If you notice that those above think ‘she’ is wonderful in spite of repeated accounts from those below her of backstabbing, team meddling, and manipulation, you are probably dealing with the chameleon,” Kusy says.
Then there are the connivers who gain respect for attacking the efforts of other workers and distrusting colleagues. While it may be hard to believe that any company leader would tolerate such unethical behavior, Kusy points out that “many superiors are easily duped into believing that these negative employees are ‘indispensable’ largely because these passive-aggressive workers are masters at convincing everyone of their inflated sense of importance and productivity.”
First thing that any aggrieved employee needs to do is assess the situation to make sure that there is no misunderstanding. If you can free yourself of any blame, then check to see if other workers are also sharing the same frustration. Having allies in the workplace can be powerful weapons in dealing with hostile co-workers so do your best to keep your office buddies close.
Secondly, watch out for some clues to the tactics of the typical job saboteur and if any of these thought come to your mind, you’re probably being targeted by a co-worker frenemy.
page 4, Getting singled out for blame
page 5, He thinks he's the boss of me
© serghei starus | dreamstime.com
Comments
All so true! Great article!
So what does one do about it? Article is missing the most important piece of info!
I think every company/organization has a backstabber amongst them. They can wreck havoc in the unfortunate victim's life. I often wonder if the co-workers/supervisors/bosses who hear from backstabbers ever consider if the backstabber has enough to do in their own job role or if they are unhappy or worried about their own job security. Good article! I'm glad you have shared it with us!
This is good information. I feel I am being sabotaged on the job. I have had two co-workers yell at me in front of my peers and nothing was done. My supervisor did not even request that the individuals apologize. then I ended up being written on bogus allegation and I refused to sign it. I am the only black person in my departmennt and there is only one black person in a supervisor postion.
I am new to my job and sit right by the office idiot. She cant speak using good grammer, she acts like everyones friend and then sets you up. she actually twisted my words around then blamed on another employee when her words not mine got out in the office my 3rd day there I was labeled a trouble maker because of her. No only has she done this.. she is conducting illegal activities on the job
hi guys please help me!
i have close friend and i trust him a lot...one fine day i spoke to my friend very frankly about my working style,after few hours my supervisor pointed me indirectly about my work i was felling very bad about it...when i asked friend did you discuss my matter to the supervisor and he said facing my eyes "yes" i've been doing this when you started to work in this company...i trusted him a lot and i feel bad about this now please advice me is he my true friend or true enemy???
sorry for my bad english
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