How to Deal With a Competitive Coworker

Sometimes handling a competitive coworker means ignoring his antics and focusing on your performance.

A little competition is healthy; it keeps you on your toes and keeps your motivation going. However, when a little competition turns into an all day, everyday occurrence in the office, it can negatively affect your job and your relationships with your coworkers. When a coworker is overly competitive with you, you have to find a way to handle the situation in a civil, responsible manner to avoid jeopardizing your job or making yourself look bad to your superiors. Some of the best ways to deal with competitiveness in the office might surprise you.

Instructions

1. Refrain from gossiping in the office. A competitive coworker might use information you've passed on about your boss or another coworker to put you in a difficult or awkward position that leaves you looking immature, untrustworthy and like you don't take your job seriously.

2. Keep your distance from competitive colleagues. Avoiding any chance of working with a competitive colleague means he has less of a chance to try and steal your ideas and present them as his own or to manipulate any situation to make himself look better at your expense.

3. Speak to your boss only if your competitive colleague has deliberately undermined your position or your work. Do not become a tattletale and speak to your boss every time your competitive coworker does something to annoy you; this gives others a negative opinion of you. Save your complaints and concerns for valid issues.

4. Schedule a private meeting with the overly competitive coworker. If your coworker withheld information on purpose to make you look like a fool or to sabotage you from completing a project, you need to address the issue immediately. Often, letting him in on the fact that you are aware of his manipulative behavior will make him back off a little for fear of repercussions.

5. Focus on your job first and foremost. Losing sight of your responsibilities in an effort to deal with the drama of a competitive colleague can negatively affect your performance at work. Keep your boss updated with your progress on projects by sending her a regular email or note so that she is aware of your contributions and the amount of time and energy you are putting into your job. Your coworker's competitiveness will ultimately get her into trouble and you want to be as far away from that as possible.

References

• MSN CareerBuilder: Five Most Competitive Coworkers