rediffGURU Kanchan Rai, founder of Let Us Talk Foundation, offers career advice on how to deal with a competitive colleague in a professional manner.
Are you working with a colleague who is overly competitive and tries to overshadow others?
How do you deal with a co-worker who steals your ideas and clients or takes credit for your work?
Is a colleague's behaviour affecting your performance?
Are you upset about working in an unfair work environment?
How can you address the issue without creating a conflict and still maintain your professionalism?
'Be assertive, strategic and focused on your performance. This way, you can shift the dynamics in your favour,' suggests rediffGURU Kanchan Rai, founder of the Let Us Talk Foundation.
Anonymous: I have over 20 years of experience.
However, my colleagues sideline me socially as well as in the commercial aspect.
One shrewd lady colleague even takes over my customers. This hampers my performance.
The lady colleague is well-settled in the job and is also good at her work. But she is very greedy and canny.
Please suggest some steps to resolve the issue.
Being in a team, I feel, everybody should get equal opportunity.
You can start by documenting instances where your colleague takes your customers.
Keep track of assigned leads, interactions and any proof that shows unfair interference.
Once you have enough evidence, approach your manager diplomatically.
Instead of complaining, frame it as a concern about fair opportunity and teamwork. You can say something like, 'I've noticed some overlap in customer assignments and I want to ensure a structured approach so that everyone gets a fair chance to contribute.'
At the same time, build relationships with other colleagues. Even if they are currently sidelining you, consistency in communication and showing your expertise will gradually shift their perception.
Join informal discussions, offer insights and find ways to make yourself valuable within the team. Sales is as much about internal networking as it is about customer engagement.
Establish stronger direct relationships with your customers. The more your clients trust you, the harder it will be for someone else to take them.
Be proactive in follow-ups, personalise your approach and make them feel you are the go-to person for their needs. If you can, set up meetings or calls with them before your colleague gets the chance.
If your workplace has a CRM (customer relationship management) system, ensure that your interactions with customers are properly logged. This creates a record of your engagement and makes it harder for someone else to claim them unfairly.
If processes for lead allocation are unclear, suggest to the management that a transparent system be put in place to avoid conflicts.
This will take time but by being assertive, strategic and focused on your performance, you can shift the dynamics in your favour.
If you remain consistent and prove your worth, your position in the team will strengthen and your colleagues will have no choice but to acknowledge your contribution.
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