Getting Along with a Passive-Aggressive Gossip

How do you work with someone who’s encroaching on your job, bad-mouthing you, and refusing to acknowledge there’s any tension or problem? Amy G recommends tactics to try and phrases to use.

Lynne has a colleague in a different department whose work is interdependent with hers, and he’s been surreptitiously encroaching on the scope of her role. He’s also been criticizing her behind her back. During their regular one-on-one meetings, he says everything’s fine, and he never mentions the work he’s doing that falls outside of his responsibilities.

When she raised these issues to him, he changed the subject. Lynne worries that the ongoing bad-mouthing and overstepping are damaging her reputation. What should she do? What should you do if you find yourself in a similar situation?

In this episode, Amy G talks with Lynne and recommends tactics for her to try. By the end of the episode, Lynne has a clear way forward and knows what she needs to do to improve her working relationship and protect her career.

Resources:

Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) by Amy Gallo
“How to Handle Office Gossip … When It’s About You,” by Joseph Grenny
“How to Deal with a Passive-Aggressive Colleague,” by Amy Gallo
“How to Navigate a Turf War at Work,” by Amy Gallo

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