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This item is filed under these categories:
Blaming Shirking Responsibility Manipulation Fairness Honesty Flattery

I sit across from an obnoxious kiss-up. She works hard when the boss is here, but leaves me with our shared work when he is out. I have had to confront this behavior a number of times. I am trying to avoid telling my boss how she behaves, but I have asked to change workstations. I think my boss may be mad at me. Now what?



When dealing with a two-faced co-worker, you have to face the fact that your boss needs to know what is going on. If you simply go to your boss and ask to change stations without providing a clear explanation as to why, he is likely to draw some inaccurate conclusions. For example, he may think that you want to do less work or cannot get along with others.

It is understandable that you do not want to run to your boss and tattle. In many cases, that leads to little more than name-calling and blame-calling, and since your co-worker majored in managerial flattery, you may be the one named and blamed.

In these types of situations, it is more effective to focus on behavior. There must be times when you are unable to get everything done because your crafty co-worker has dumped her share of the work on you. When this occurs and your boss wants to know why, tell him. Do not use any labels regarding this co-worker, but just present the facts.

Perhaps your boss will get the message and your co-worker will get it too. However, if your boss lets this slide or blames you, then the two of them deserve each other, and you deserve something better.




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