Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Respond to the comment
• Method 2 of 3: Chat with this colleague
• Method 3 of 3: Make Some Changes to Your Workflow
• Tips

Does one of the colleagues have the right to completely control the work of other employees? An overbearing colleague can make the thought of work intimidating and disgusting, especially if he constantly tries to control your every move and climbs into every project you take. Take the situation into your own hands by setting certain boundaries and slightly changing the style of communication with the person who criticizes and persecutes you at every turn. To get started, just talk to him and tell him how you feel. Remember, you can always ask your superiors or other higher authority for help.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Respond to the comment

1. 1 Be completely calm. Of course, it is very unpleasant and offensive when someone tries to control certain actions and stages of work that you yourself are quite capable of performing. But even if you are terribly angry or annoyed, try to remain calm. Do not say or do anything that you may regret later, because some actions and words put us in an absolutely stupid position in front of the rest of the team.
   • If you feel like you need to take a break, just go to another office and take a few deep breaths. As soon as you feel that you are ready - come back and solve this problem!
2. 2 Stay within the boundaries of a working relationship. Don't take this person's words and deeds personally. Most likely, this behavior has nothing to do specifically with you, but rather speaks of a desire to help or the need to feel your own importance. Understand that this is not an insult to you, so try your best not to take the situation to heart.
   • Remind yourself that this is only about work and your coworker. This position will help you stay in control of the situation and not react to it emotionally.
3. 3 Try to look at the situation from a different perspective. Think about the behavior of your colleague and guess what it might be related to, what is the reason. For example, it is possible that your colleague used to do this work (before it became your responsibility), perhaps he did it a little differently. If you are new to this organization, or to this professional area in general, take the time to get to know the team and observe how your colleagues are performing. Some people are very nervous, especially when it comes to group projects; some, on the other hand, want to impress their superiors with amazing teamwork. Whatever the case may be, be patient and try to treat this situation with understanding.
   • For example, many people don't like change. Your coworker may be trying to guide you on how to do your job because they feel uncomfortable with the way you do your job a little differently.
   • It is a good idea to observe how this situation applies to your other colleagues to see if the person is trying to control some or all of their work. This will help you figure out if the coworker's behavior is only about you and your work, or if it's just a habit that slowly affects most employees.
4. 4 Ignore inappropriate behavior. There are several cases where ignoring this behavior is the best strategy. If your coworker is trying to control only a certain part of your work (for example, the responsibilities that he was previously responsible for), but leaves you alone in most cases, it may be best to simply accept this behavior and ignore it in those cases, when a colleague tries to interfere with your work. If your colleague's behavior is not doing you or your work particularly damaging, just let go of the situation.
   • Ask yourself: "Can I get along with the fact that from time to time a colleague tries to control my work?"

Method 2 of 3: Chat with this colleague

1. 1 Listen to the person. Sometimes people just need to be heard. You can try to heed the advice without making an elephant out of a fly and not taking it personally. When the person starts to say something to you, just look into their eyes and listen carefully. Don't interrupt him. Give the person the opportunity to speak up and convey to you what they think is necessary, and then answer in general terms, but so that your colleague understands that you have heard and understood his point of view. Don't comment or argue, just show the person that you listened to them.
   • For example, you might say, “I realized that you would have used other materials in this situation,” or, “Okay. Thanks for the advice".
2. 2 Don't be afraid to speak up. If a member of the staff is behaving inappropriately in the workplace, it is okay to speak up about it. In a calm, businesslike manner, make a short and concise remark to the person. Don't make a drama out of it, be polite.
   • For example, say, "I understand you would have done it differently, but this is my project."
3. 3 Share your feelings. You might want to tell a colleague how their behavior affects you. If you do decide to talk openly with him, try not to blame him and structure your speech using I-statements. Tell the person how their behavior affects your well-being, tell them that you would like this to not happen again.
   • For example, you might say, "It worries me that you are constantly meddling in my affairs and directing how to do my work." Or: "It seems to me that you do not trust me and think that I cannot cope with this work myself."
4. 4 Set clear boundaries with your colleagues. And be firm in standing up for them in the workplace. If one of your colleagues tries to dictate conditions to you, answer each time in approximately the same tone and format, so that the person understands that you have everything under control and you will cope with this or that task on your own. Do not be afraid to stand up for yourself and clearly define your boundaries so that the person does not cross them.
   • For example, you might say, "No, I already planned to do it a little differently," or, "Thanks for the advice, but I can handle it myself."
   • If you want your speech to be perfectly clear, you can say, “I understand that you want to help me, but this is not necessary at all. Please treat my work with respect and give me the opportunity to complete everything myself. "
5. 5 Begin to lead by example. If a colleague is constantly trying to give you valuable advice about your job, just stick to a slightly different strategy when discussing their job. Show the person an alternative example of how to interact with colleagues when it comes to their work. Try to communicate with this employee in the same spirit in which you want him to communicate with you. This same behavior is best used when talking to other colleagues, among whom there is one who often gives you advice about your work.
   • For example, say, "Do you want to contribute to this project?" - or: "Do you need help?" You can also say: “I’m sorry, I don’t want to go beyond my authority, but I will still comment.”

Method 3 of 3: Make Some Changes to Your Workflow

1. 1 Decide on your job responsibilities. It is necessary to clearly know what exactly you should be doing, who else is involved in this or that project. Make an appointment with your boss or manager (depending on where you work and what position you hold) and find out what exactly is required of you. Then discuss how much of the work you will be doing yourself. This will help to avoid misunderstandings, and will also allow you to clearly and clearly assign the roles and responsibilities of employees.
   • Thus, you will have an easy way to avoid unpleasant situations with a colleague. Just say, "This part of the project is my responsibility, not you."
   • Consider organizing a meeting with colleagues and discussing responsibilities to specifically define the role of each employee. This will help clarify the situation and clearly define the job responsibilities (for you and your colleagues).
2. 2 In a meeting or meeting, give your opinion. Talk to your boss (or the manager) about whether he or she will have a couple of minutes to discuss a specific part of the project with the staff in the meeting. During this time, you can briefly present to colleagues the changes that you have made to the project. This way, you can keep your colleagues informed about what exactly you are working on. Leave some time for colleagues to ask you questions to better understand what you are doing.
   • Remain calm and confident throughout your performance. If any of your colleagues tries to interrupt you or interfere with the presentation, just politely say, "You can ask all questions and make comments at the end."
3. 3 Talk to your boss. If you've tried all kinds of methods to get the person to leave you alone, but they didn't work, talk to your boss. Tell us about what is happening, and also do not forget the most important thing - tell how detrimental it is to your work. Ask the person to advise you on what to do in this situation and how to continue working. If necessary, ask your superiors to intervene and clarify the situation.
   • Say, “I need your help. The fact is that one of my colleagues constantly interferes with my work and tells me how to do it. It looks like I can't handle this situation on my own anymore. Maybe you can advise me something? "

Tips

• It is possible that your overbearing colleague is not aware of the effect his behavior has on you. Perhaps, before you, he already behaved in the same way in relation to other employees.
• Before raising this issue and exacerbating the conflict, consider your organization's policies for teamwork.