Is Your Coworker Undermining You?

Cattiness.Gossip.Childish competition.Jealousy.If you think it is happening around you in the workplace, it probably is. Human behavior is such that work environments are going to have all levels of maturity in them. Coworkers, unfortunately, spend a great deal of time not supporting each other. Sometimes, they actively undermine each other intentionally.It is not the fact that it may be happening, to you. It is how you show up in it that matters. It is how you handle it when it happens, that creates the final outcome. You actually can direct the outcome to a positive one for yourself, with your intentions, energy, and thoughts.The way to get dragged down in it is to respond with emotions, to react to it. Joining in with the instigator will destroy your energy quickly and raise your stress level. Running to your boss filled with emotion while complaining about the other person, will quickly lose you favor in the next line for promotions.The best way to handle it is with the Taoist principle of Wu Wei. This is the idea of nonaction is the best action. That is, let it pass by you. Be unaffected by it. It’s like becoming a human window screen: let it blow through you as if smoke moves through a window screen.It is easier said than done for some. But when you do this, you provide the situation no energy. You provide no proverbial fuel to the fire. It falls away of its own weight. There is no one to build momentum with, and the situation dissolves away as it burns through the angry, jealous energy of just one person. It falls away of its own weight.If you are the target of a coworkers jealousy, follow these steps to diffuse the situation.1. Stay calm and emotionally neutral.Most managers and bosses do not want to get pulled into personality issues, which is what these scenarios are about.2. Ignore the comments.Part of the jolt and excitement for the bully that does this workplace behavior, is in feeling your response and anger. They feed off your reaction and anxiety. Stop giving it to them.3. Do not feed your own group of coworkers with comments about the others.Keep the situation to yourself. Do not comment on it. It keeps the energetic feud going.4. You’re a target because they are jealous of you.If you understand their low self esteem drives this junior high school behavior, you can disengage from it as the adult you are. You choose not to go back to eighth grade.5. Your strength is in the Divine.As for spiritual support. Ask the Divine to help you be strong and to diffuse the situation quickly. You will be assisted in this way.When you realize your thoughts and energy can keep or eliminate problems with coworkers, you can change your work experience for the better.