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Red Alert: A Colleague Belittles You in Front of the Boss

Some opponents are fond of surgical strikes. The dictionary defines such attacks as usually without warning and intended for a specific target. They’re potent, especially when the strike hits its mark—you—in front of the boss.

In the attacker’s mind, the smaller you look in front of the boss the bigger she will appear. So while the boss is chatting informally with a group including you and your assailant, she will gleefully point out that you left a cover sheet off a report but she took care of the oversight. She will also mention that the phone numbers you passed along were outdated and slowed down her attempts to contact a former client. All of this is information that could have waited for a private conversation, but it can’t for someone determined to put you in the worst light.

The best way to neutralize this extreme form of unprofessional behavior is the highest order of professionalism. Thank the accuser for helping you out. Tell her you expect you will have to return the favor some day, and you gladly will. As for the so-called erroneous information, say you will recheck the information for errors. But give your accuser a homework assignment. Ask her to make sure she wrote down the correct numbers. Then tell her that if you are in error, you will gladly send along information that corrects the problem. After that, resume your conversation with the boss. That seamless approach will put you in the best light.