ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2007 > September > 10
Monday, September 10, 2007
Trouble with an office parasite?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At some point in most of our lives we’ve had to peacefully co-exist with a co-worker who was overly invested in our own personal and professional activities. It’s annoying at best and in some cases they can be a detriment to our career.
While they’re usually harmless, these office busy bodies often consider their workplace a critical part of their social life. Unfortunately, they can seem like they’re more interested in your private telephone conversation with your sister than they are in the report they’re supposed to be completing for the division manager.
But occasionally, these Nosy Nellies aren’t so benign. There is a special kind of office parasite out there, who will infiltrate our personal space in an attempt to gain information that they hope will make us look bad and propel them forward in the eyes of the boss.
They may be friendly or they may be adversarial, but their goal is the same: to make themselves look good at your expense.
I once had a coworker who called my boss to report that I was two hours late for work that morning. Fortunately, my boss knew the real story behind my absence, because she had asked me to attend a networking event that morning on her behalf. In her haste to make me look like a slacker, the co-worker ended up looking like a school yard tattle-tale.
If you suspect you have a co-worker who is committed to your professional demise, you must take preemptive steps to protect yourself.
First and foremost, make sure that you are without reproach. If you are doing what you’re supposed to be doing at work, you should have little need to worry about what might be relayed to the boss. But if, despite your clean-living, you fear that your reputation may be in danger then you’ll want to document, document, document!
Check in with your boss on a regular basis and keep him in the loop on your activities and accomplishments. Depending on your relationship with your boss, you might voice your concerns and ask that she give you the benefit of hearing your version of the story, should unsavory information come her way.
If your company has a separate HR department, it may be worthwhile to have a conversation with an impartial third party, who knows the culture of your organization, for guidance on how to proceed.
You may choose to confront the co-worker head on, and in certain cases this may be effective. However, do not under any circumstances become emotional and escalate the situation. Keep your conversation factual and your tone of voice calm and professional. If you start handing out accusations, you’ll only invite an argument.
Have you had to face a similar situation? Were you able to turn a negative into a positive, or did the situation harm your professional reputation?
