In case you’re wondering why this topic, I assure you (especially my supervisors) that this backstabbing incident happened to me few years ago and not now. 
And now, let’s continue with the post.
Office politics has nowadays becoming a norm in most of the companies. The bigger a company is (more employees), the more office politics you’ll have to face..unless, of course, if you’re a very lucky person.
Office politics can mean a lot of things….and sometimes, you’re being dragged into it unwillingly. Backstabbing is one form of such incidents. I’ve been backstabbed before in my career (few years ago when I was a trainee in an IT company)….and I know it wasn’t a very pleasant feeling. It was like being made a scapegoat for someone’s mistake. I doubt anyone of you will like that.
So what should you do when you’re being backstabbed…or being dragged into office politics unwillingly? Here are some suggestions from me (do feel free to debate because I might be wrong).
- Continue to do your own work.
- The first option is of course to ignore the politics or whoever is backstabbing you and continue with your work. That’s your responsibility and the least you could do.
- Just make sure that you have completely nothing to do with the incident and you’re the innocent party.
- Speak to other colleagues
- If the situation doesn’t improve, and things become unbearable, talk to your other colleagues.
- Surely, there will be someone on your side. Talk to them and see what do they think about your current situation.
- Avoid fingerpointing. Don’t ever accuse the backstabber of anything. You do not want to trust the wrong person and start a World War 3 inside the company.
- Just ask them for their opinions and see if they’ve heard anything which will harm you and your reputation in the company.
- They will tell you honestly if they’re on your side.
- Speak to the so-called culprit
- Talk to the person who you know is the main culprit.
- See his/her side of the story.
- Do not start pointing your finger at the person.
- Try to ask a few questions such as “I’ve heard something going on behind my back about myself…do you know what is it? I’m a bit concerned“, etc.
- If he sounds very displeased or “fake“, then most probably he has something to do with it. Tell him that you would appreciate anyone (any colleagues, him included) to talk to you before backstabbing you.
- Remember, you can’t change something you are not aware of.
- Speak to your supervisor(s)
- If the culprit is not willing to admit, and the backstabbing is still on-going, talk to your supervisor.
- See his side of the story and ask if he knows anything.
- Ask him for advice if he does know something.
- Make sure you tell your supervisor of your commitment to the company and that such backstabbing incident is quite demotivating. If there’s a solution, you would like to fix this up as soon as possible.
- If your supervisor is the culprit, talk to his/her supervisor
- But if your supervisor is the main culprit…then things might get a little bit more complicated than usual.
- Talk to the supervisor of your supervisor if there’s really no choice.
- See if the person can give you any useful advice. Again, state your desire to work hard for the company.
- Change department or transfer to other branches
- If nobody can help you…..and things are still the same, I advise you to change to another department or transfer to other company branches.
- This is to get away from this group of people.
- We can’t control what other people talk or do, we can only control what we ourselves can do.
- Moving away from this group of people might be a good solution. You need to get your motivation back on track in order to perform properly in your career.
- Change company
- If changing to another department is not possible…I believe you have to move on and change to another company.
- Office politics is always something which is very hard to avoid…and fix. You will have to either cope with it, try your hard to avoid it, fix it, or get away from it.
I hope that this few “methods” can help those of you (who are currently being dragged into an office politic) to do something to salvage your career….which is unwillingly being damaged by some idiots.
Hope it helps.
7 comments
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April 18, 2007 at 11:18 pm
Angie Tan
I’ve had my share of “golden fingers” and also “hidden golden fingers” & the best thing to do is to just move on.
When I say “move on”, I mean don’t try to get yourself dirty by messing about with such “pigs”. The best thing to do is get through the situation dignified like what you mention. One of the best ways I felt was to confront the guy head on or just prove the detractors wrong.
To me, such backstabbers are cowards because they with their insecurities feel threatened by such people and use this method to protect/advance their career.
Anyway, come to think of it, I think at some point in our career, we may have done a little bit of this too though in less sinister fashion like spreading gossip or rumours. We may not have known it, but probably the person on the receiving end felt backstabbed.
April 19, 2007 at 8:23 am
Joan
Nice post, it certainly gave me a lot of options on how to deal with such people in the workplace.
Can I add your blog to my blogroll? I find your posts very insightful and helpful. Thanks!
April 19, 2007 at 8:47 am
Alvin
Angie, talking about gossips or rumours…is not as bad as backstabbing and making someone your scapegoat. Gossips/rumours can lead to a lot of things but still, it is not as bad.
I believe the best thing to do is not to gossip about anything which is based on nothing…. just to be fair to everyone.
If someone start telling me something bad, related to another person…my impression of that “gossip monger” is – u talk bad about him in front of me, so i assume u’ll talk bad about me in front of others as well…and if that’s the case, why should i trust u?
Joan – sure thing. I’ll be very grateful if you can include me in your blogroll.
Thanks again
May 12, 2007 at 10:09 pm
the drowmage
How about beating the crap out of the fellow? OK… sounds a bit gangsta-like…
On a serious note, I’ve encountered a similar problem, and ignored it until the issue escalated and my supervisor was dragged in by the same gossip-starter who made it seem as if the whole team was against me, not him. I chose then to point out that if he had an issue with me, to come to me directly and not drag in the whole world.
Suffice to say, I left that hell-hole later on, and that boot-licker is still there, licking boots and starting ‘nasties’ about other people.
My point here is – sometimes ignoring the situation, or confronting it – works depending on the individual or the situation itself.
May 14, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Alvin
For myself, I personally will confront the person. If not for myself, i should at least do it for other friends of mine there.
However, if this idiot is someone who receives “special treatment” or “protection”, then i don’t see a point. You don’t go confront your boss’ son when you know he is well protected.
September 30, 2009 at 12:23 am
Tia
I am also going through a similar problem, this time though the gossip has spread around an entire branch, unfortunately the team managers and branch manager are big gossips also and so I don’t trust anyone.
I have tried all of the above tactics, keeping quiet so as to not add fuel to their overactive imaginations is not working, they are bored and it just seems to outrage them even more, asking them to discuss any problems they think they have with me, ends in you guessed it “silence” or you are imagining this, they like going round scaremongering and have started a little bit to turn on each other, but I still seem to be their main target, and gossip can be quite damaging (when it is allowed to get out of control) as much or if not more than backstabbing.
To finish off my little piece here, people who feel the need to act like this or behave like bullys are generally cowards, they are sad, unhappy people, who probably have issues or bigger insecurities of their own, simply smile and feel sorry for them or alternatively u could ask them next time if the school bully shoved their head down the toilet when they were in high school lol.
October 20, 2009 at 8:06 pm
shobana
Yes I AGREE. I work in a government office, where they hired a old woman 56 and she walks around gossiping. she brings food for the woman and brown noses and it works i have seen, she is such a rat she walks around back stabbing people. There is one more woman who is insecure about her looks so she walks around talking and making stories. i have gone to the boss but it doesn’t work, as u said if boss is on their side then u can;t really do anything. but god isthere onedayt hey will pay. these women are all of low sel festeemand have problems in their life. it is so bad somedays it hurts so bad want to leave the job, but have to work for a living. Ignoring doesn’;t work either.