Have you ever worked with someone who undermines your authority and makes you feel insecure? I know how difficult it is to deal with
You want the relationship to improve, but you don’t want to bring up your concerns. This post will help you decide what to do in this situation so that you can improve your working relationship.
Land More Interviews With A Professional Resume
Get a professional resume review from a certified career expert
How do you stop a coworker from undermining you?
Most of us have, at one time or another, worked with a coworker who tries to undermine what we do. Such people may be jealous of your success or feel threatened by your presence in the company. Whatever the reason for their behavior, dealing with a coworker like this can be frustrating and stressful.
It’s important to remember that your coworker may be feeling these emotions, too. So don’t take their behavior personally; instead, try to understand what might be going on with them. If you’re having a hard time dealing with a coworker who undermines you, try these tips:
- Take a break from the situation. When you can’t deal with an issue, take a break. This will allow you to regroup and return later with a fresh perspective on the problem.
- Communicate clearly and directly with your coworker about what he or she is doing that’s causing problems. Make sure that you’re not accusing them of anything; instead, focus on what they are doing (or not doing) that causes stress for everyone involved.
- If your coworker is unresponsive, consider reporting the situation to your supervisor or manager. You might want to do this if you’re getting pushback from your coworker after trying to communicate with him or her directly.
How do you outsmart a toxic coworker?
The first step is to identify the toxic coworker.
- Be aware of their behavior. Do they belittle you or others? Do they play favorites? Are they always late or never on time? Are they constantly gossiping about others or complaining about how their boss treats them?
- Next, speak up! If someone’s behavior makes you uncomfortable, then say something right away. Your manager should be able to help you deal with this situation, and it’s important that he or she knows what’s going on so they can assist in resolving the issue.
- Don’t get drawn into their drama. If you find yourself in a conversation with a toxic coworker about someone else, don’t join in on the gossip. Walk away if possible, and if not, then change the subject.
- If you can’t change the subject and you know that the conversation is going to continue, then speak up. Don’t join in on the gossip, and don’t let them drag you into their drama. Instead, ask questions about what they are saying so that they have to explain it better.
- If they continue to talk negatively about others, then speak up again. Ask them why they think that way and if they can explain why they feel the need to gossip like this.
- If the conversation continues after that, then you might want to consider ending it. This may be difficult in some cases because the toxic coworker may try to make you feel guilty for walking away from them.
- If they try and make you feel guilty, then simply explain that it’s not your job to fix their problems. You can also say that if they continue to gossip about others, you will no longer be able to work with them.
How do you politely tell someone to back off at work?
It can be hard to tell someone they’re bothering you, especially at work. You don’t want to come across as rude or difficult, but there are times when it’s necessary. Here’s what you should do if someone is bugging you at work and making things difficult for everyone else in the process—without coming across as a jerk.
- Tell them what you’re feeling. You can say something like, “I feel like I haven’t had a chance to do anything since you started talking about your vacation plans and asking my opinion on where to go.” “Can we talk about something else for a few minutes?”
- Refocus the conversation away from them. For example, you could say, “I need to get this done by 4 p.m., so let’s talk about it later.”
- If all else fails, ask them to leave you alone. This is the last resort, but sometimes it’s necessary if someone won’t take “no” for an answer.
- Tell them that you need a break from being around them, but don’t make it personal. You can say something like, “I feel like I need to take some time away from you because I don’t feel comfortable around you anymore.”
How do you deal with coworkers who throw you under the bus?
Being firm and telling your coworker that you are serious about stopping her undermining behavior is the best way to get through it. You don’t have to be afraid of sounding like a jerk when you tell her how you feel or that what she has done is inappropriate.
The worst thing that could happen is that she decides not to undermine anymore, but if this happens, then at least it will have been worth it!
Don’t let her get away with making you feel bad for standing up for yourself; instead, make sure she knows exactly what kind of behavior works for everyone involved in the business as well as everyone else around them (including customers). So there isn’t any confusion about who’s the boss.
If you are serious about stopping her undermining behavior, then you need to make sure everyone knows it. The best way to do this is by taking the time to sit down with both your coworker and her boss (or whoever oversees her work) and explain exactly what has been happening. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, then consider asking a trusted friend or family member for assistance.

How do you survive a jerk at work?
The best thing you can do is take care of yourself. This means not taking on their stress or anger and letting them know that they are being jerks.
If you find that this particular person is a jerk to everyone, then it may be best to avoid them as much as possible. However, if they are only being a jerk to you and others have noticed their behavior, then let the person know in a respectful way that they made you feel bad and ask them why they did this.
If the person is unaware that they are being a jerk, then this is a good starting point for helping them or understanding how their behavior affects others. If they are aware but still choose to be jerks, then you may need to take action, such as talking to your boss or HR department.
Land More Interviews With A Professional Resume
Get a professional resume review from a certified career expert
Conclusion
If you’ve identified that your coworker is undermining your work and you want to stop her behavior, it may be time for a conversation. You can talk about the behavior with your coworkers or HR representative, but it’s important to be clear about what exactly is going on.
Remember: being assertive and honest about your concerns will go a long way toward helping everyone work together more effectively in the future!
If you need help with your resume, we can help! Our resume writers have worked with thousands of clients from all backgrounds and industries.