Les Parrott said, “Backstabbers put on a front that appears accommodating, loyal, and yes, even sacrificial. Then, without warning, they raise their knife, and by the time you see the glint of the blade, it’s almost always too late.”
Spotting backstabbers
The shift
Ajay Gupta said, “Backstabbers shift higher responsibility to others and take mundane work and say they … do not have time because (they) have a lot of work to do.” They are like managers that compensate for poor performance by blaming others. If you work for one of these jerks, run!
The credit
On the other hand, when projects go well they take credit for another’s hard work. They hang back letting others take risks and then step forward when it’s time to receive credit. Look through their fake smiles and false compliments and know that a person who takes credit for another’s work is a backstabber.
The twist
Backstabbers twist the truth in order to solidify their own position. For example, they forward emails and send blind copies to others with the intent of damaging your reputation. Remember, never put anything in an email you don’t want the world to see.
3 ways to deal with backstabbers:
Stay engaged and involved. When you protect yourself by withdrawing, you open a door for your own defeat.
Document your work. You probably don’t remember all the contributions you’ve made to projects. You simply jump in and get the work done. Backstabbers remember every contribution they make and then some.
Bring others in. When backstabbers subtly twist facts or put others down, pick up the phone and invite their victims to the meeting. Transparency and truth help silence backstabbers.
Written by Dan Rockwell
Adapted from Leadership Freak, Bloody Backstabbers
