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Conniving Co-workers

Is there someone in your office that is out to get you?

Or who just seems to always know the latest hot gossip about everyone?

What about the one who NEVER takes blame for any mistake -- it's always someone/something/somehow that happened... never an actual mistake.

Have you spent days avoiding a co-worker because of "words" being exchanged?

How would you handle this situation:

A co-worker brings you a file for a client that they have an appointment with that day. They tell you that another employee worked with that client and they think that person should see the client at the appointment, and not themselves, and you should do something to change it.

So you finish up what you were doing and after about 30 minutes you speak to the other employee, who is happy to see the client. You inform the receptionist to redirect the client to this other employee.

10 minutes later you receive a scathing email from the first co-worker, blasting you for re-arranging their schedule without their permission -- that they had already worked out a solution with the receptionist, and you are in the wrong for making assumptions about their clients and their schedules.

What would you do? Who is in the wrong? Who is in league together? Would you bring this to the attention of your supervisor or manager?

Roz

Co-workers Conniving

Is the first co-worker a nut case? I have found that these things happen when you carry a 'beyond' business relationship in the office. For instance you tend to ask too many questions like 'how is your family'. ' where did you get that dress, etc...'. Anyway how I would handle it...

What would you do?
I would confront the person eyeball to eyeball.

Who is in the wrong?
The co-worker

Who is in league together?
Co-worker and the asylum

Would you bring this to the attention of your supervisor or manager?
If it were going to affect my work environment, yes!

Conniving Co-workers History & Civil Business Politics

In January, we hired a new gal for the front desk/receptionist. She is competent with the work, but she is a total "kiss up" and manipulator -- plenty of stories with this one!

Recently, she mentioned to me that when she had worked at another office, the company usually bought lunch or dinner for the crew if there was a big project or overtime going on (it was a famous company, I won't mention it because it's very recognizable -- just so you know, multi-billion-dollar travel/holiday related company). I told her we rarely had that at this office (where we do way less business than the other -- we have only about 12 employees), usually only late nights during tax season, and not very often.

What do you think someone's response to that would be? A reasonable person? Nothing, right? "Gee, that's too bad," was all I expected. Well, this is what she did.

The next morning, she used some company letterhead and faxed it to the local radio station so that our business could win a free lunch and be announced throughout the day on the station as "business of the day."

Bad idea! Bad, wrong, even stupid. First of all, our company is ultra-conservative, even "stuffy" you might say. They don't advertise on the radio! We have wealthy clients who expect us to maintain discretion -- do you think a company sounds discreet or reliable if they are having a party on the radio? Second, using the company letterhead in that way was very inappropriate! People have been FIRED for inappropriate use of letterhead in the past.

She said to me, "I wanted to surprise you, because you said you never got lunch from the company..." (Kiss up!) I explained to her that it was very wrong to do what she did, and that the partners would NOT be pleased. She just kind of blew it off, like I was making too much of it. "Why didn't you tell me that before?" she asked, and I said, "Why didn't you *ask* me first?!"

Well, the boss was NOT at all happy. He told me to send her home for the rest of the day with no pay, and that she was lucky she was not getting fired. I negotiated with him, since there is no written policy about it, and just write up the incident for her permanent file. He agreed to that, and that's what I did.

Throughout the interview, she kept shaking her head in disbelief, and said several times, "I can't believe I'm getting in trouble for this, and I didn't even get the free lunch!" "I didn't even get anything out of it, and you're writing me up." "I don't understand what the big deal is." "At my other company, it was fun and the whole crew got lunch, and I'm not getting anything out of this."

I told her that because she kept saying that, that I felt she didn't understand the seriousness of her actions, and explained to her what the other consequences would have been otherwise -- her job was on the line and she was lucky to get off with just a reprimand. She still didn't understand it.

That was a couple of weeks ago. Since then, she has not spoken to me other than the bare minimum to transfer my calls to me or ask questions about her work. She literally ignores me when I say "good morning," etc. No pleasantries whatsoever. You have to understand that this gal used to engage me in conversation at every possible opportunity -- she even would come to my area in the back of the building to sit down by my desk and chat. Now she barely says ten words to me every day.

On the one hand, I don't really mind it because she used to talk to me so much it was a burden. On the other hand, not speaking to me is childish and getting to the point of being disrespectful and unprofessional.

I'm getting to the point where I have to discuss it with her, but I have a feeling she will turn to "sickly sweet" and be phony. It's a pain to have to deal with this.

Co-workers Conniving

I would just let her be childish and when it came time for her review I would not put a good on in her file. I would not fire her but let her quit that way your no worried about paying unemployment.

Co-workers Conniving

Farseer, I can't believe YOU are wondering whether to talk to this girl or not! You well described her as a manipulator and that's exactly what she is trying to do with you, manipulate you so YOU are the one to approach her, she is trying to make you feel guilty about it, don't fall for that! If she does not want to tell you good morning, let it be! If she wants to talk to you just the minimum then let her! Trust me, it will be better for you in the long run...she sounds like trouble!

Conniving Co-workers

I know, I know Actually, I don't feel a bit guilty. I saved her job, or at least a half day's pay.

I don't want her to go on as she did before with me, talking talking talking. But it's ridiculous to so completely ignore me.

Conniving Co-workers

True but she sounds kind of mental therefore if you give her an inch, she will take your whole hand! And she will definetely NOT change her behavior. Your incredible kindness is sometimes your kryptonite, superwoman!

Conniving Co-workers Politics Business Civil & History

Workers, watch your back

YOU might go for drinks each week but new research shows your colleagues are a ruthless bunch of double-crossers who would stab you in the back. Ref. Source 4