page 5: Five ways to battle the office backstabber
Sometimes a co-worker will take it upon himself to be the voice of authority when the boss isn’t around. He may come to your desk and try to give you new projects to do, or distract you with unplanned meetings..jpg)
"If the problem is a bossy co-worker to whom you do not report, the most important first step is polite conversation. Often this type of behavior is done as a means of getting attention,” says Aksoy. “If, however, the problem is more that the co-worker is indeed a jerk, then he/she is probably not just being a jerk to you. Come together with other victims, and raise the issue to your management.”
A colleague who is trying to be your boss is insecure in his own status. Office maggots often prey upon co-workers who pose the most threat to their own success—bosses, the good-looking and smart workers who incite jealousy, and a colleague in line for a promotion— are often targets of manipulative workers.
Showing your confidence by putting your efforts in your work will send enough of message that you’re not going to be bullied into becoming someone else’s personal assistant.
Aksoy also points out that imbalance of power between colleagues is often a symptom of a management problem. “When employees are not clear on their responsibilities or are subject to favoritism, don’t feel supported…then infighting can be the result,” she says. “It's akin to animals fighting over a shrinking waterhole.”
It’s all the more reason to bring this up with upper management on the colleague who thinks he’s everybody’s boss. Your supervisor will likely appreciate you for it!
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