How to Tame Difficult, Childish Coworkers

In my recent article for Psychology Today I address the issue of difficult co-workers. Climbing the corporate ladder can be a challenge when one or more of your office folk act as if your success will thwart their own advancement. Some believe that knocking you out of the way or climbing over you is the only route to the top. These terrible office tyrants (a.k.a. TOTs, who can act like children in their Terrible Twos) can sometimes wreak havoc with your career as much – or more than – a bad boss.

Classic Red Flags

TOT coworkers who refuse to “play nice” in the office sandbox may:

Try bossing you around

Undermine your project behind your back

Take credit for your idea

Make themselves look good at your expense

Some bad behavior is expected in any workplace; but constantly conniving cohorts are not. Unless you stop them in their tracks, they can create an unexpected detour in your career. Not surprisingly, good old fashioned parenting techniques work like a charm with TOT coworkers of all kinds. Should you leave pacifiers on their desks as a hint? Probably not. Find out what to do by reading the complete article on PsychologyToday.com.