FIVE WAYS TO SHOW A PESKY COLLEAGUE HIS PLACE (14-12-2010, Economic Times, Mumbai)

These days, Monica Bose, who works in a bank in Mumbai is dealing with issues more complex than client disputes. The 26-year-old, who works in a cross-functional team and has to co-ordinate with several people, is struggling with a peer who only remembers her deadlines and forgets to deliver his own. Several excuses follow, and worse, he cites Anahita’s deliverables as the reason for the team’s non-performance and how it will impact their appraisals. 

An irritated Anahita is on the verge of calling it quits. That’s a drastic step, believe her HR managers. But then, what is the ideal way to deal with this, she wonders. Here’s what she could have done, says Shreya Biswas. 

Try ignoring, if it helps

In a highly competitive world, often people play such tricks to run others down. So be wary, and don’t get carried away by such things. Just make them feel insignificant, ignore their remarks and slowly, they will retreat into their cocoons. 

“Only when people think that they are taken seriously or are able to get attention, will they continue with it. Give them a stare like you don’t care and they will surrender,” says Angel Chowdhury, a Delhi-based BPO employee who has faced such colleagues. 

Preserve your records 

Several problems arise due to miscommunication in organisations or facts being under-represented. So preserve your records. If you are meeting your deadlines, keep a log sheet of when and how. Even if there are occasional slip-ups, the long-term scorecard will make your case stronger. 
“It’s important to keep a record of the facts and provide it as evidence whenever people try to act smart,” says Uday Chawla, managing partner, Transearch International, India. 

Gently remind them of their role

Remind him of the chain that needs to be maintained for such projects. Of how his contribution counts and how that impacts your deadlines, politely. Like they talk about the team performance, pay back in the same coin but in a more diplomatic yet firm way. The message will reach home. 

Keep the team leader posted

Your colleague’s motive doesn’t stop at irritating you but to prove himself better than you or your team mates. While he tries to prove your inefficiency in front of others, he might mislead your boss into believing that except for him, no one else is following delivery timings. To avoid that, keep a tab on what your team leader is fed with. Keep him in the loop, with evidence—mailers, chats, messages, if need be, who stands where. In the long run, he will know what his subordinates are up to. 

Take a stand 

If diplomatic ways don’t work, face the individual. Tell him to concentrate on his KRAs more than yours or anybody else’s. It’s not his business to check whether you are meeting them but the boss’s. If he has issues other than deadlines, he should come straight to the point or be quiet. 

“People bully those who don’t raise their voice. Give them a piece of your mind and they will know it is not easy to get away by talking nonsense,” says K Sudarshan, managing partner, EMA Partners International.