{"id":195,"date":"2007-08-17T13:43:45","date_gmt":"2007-08-17T17:43:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/officepolitics.com\/advice\/?p=195"},"modified":"2008-01-12T12:04:31","modified_gmt":"2008-01-12T16:04:31","slug":"my-co-workers-see-me-as-a-threat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/my-co-workers-see-me-as-a-threat\/","title":{"rendered":"My co-workers see me as a “threat.”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear Office-Politics,<\/p>\n

I have just learned that a lot of my co-workers see me as a “threat.”<\/p>\n

I work at a corporation where they are very enthusiastic about promoting people who work hard and are well-qualified. I fit both of those criteria. A lot of my co-workers view me as a threat because I have many positive attributes working in my favor and, of course everyone is jealous of the girl that’s been there the least amount of time, but gets promoted faster! How do I deal with these people?<\/p>\n

Target of Envy<\/p>\n

OFFICE-POLITICS REPLY BY CHRISTINE COMAFORD-LYNCH<\/strong>
\n\"christine<\/p>\n

Dear Target of Envy,<\/p>\n

Sounds like there is a lot of fear in your workplace \u2014 and they are projecting some of it on you. When this happens to me I always consider what it is that I represent to others. Why do others find you threatening? What do you represent to them? Why are you the target?<\/p>\n

Perhaps you have the #1 credential everyone needs: a GSD<\/strong> (Gets Stuff Done). If you have a GSD, those that don\u2019t may choose to feel threatened. Too bad. You need to do what you do, you need to shine your light, you need to rock n\u2019 roll.<\/p>\n

That said, it\u2019s KEY to find out what your colleagues want, and try to help them get it (assuming it\u2019s something progressive<\/em>). If you can help people get what they want, as long as it is aligned with your values, you will emerge triumphant.<\/p>\n

Also, of course, be humble. No one likes an overachieving show off. Let your accomplishments speak for themselves.<\/p>\n

Be cool. Disengage from the drama of others. Just focus on renewing your GSD every day.<\/p>\n

Thanks for writing to Office Politics.<\/p>\n

Best regards,<\/p>\n

Christine Comaford-Lynch, Author, <\/strong>Rules for Renegades<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"cover<\/a>New York Times bestselling author Christine Comaford-Lynch<\/strong> is CEO of Mighty Ventures<\/a>, an innovation accelerator which helps businesses to massively increase sales, product offerings, and company value. She has built and sold 5 of her own businesses with an average 700% return on investment, served as a board director or in-the-trenches adviser to 36 startups, and has invested in over 200 startups as a venture capitalist or angel investor. Christine has consulted to the White House (Clinton and Bush), 700 of the Fortune 1000, and hundreds of small businesses. She has repeatedly identified and championed key trends and technologies years before market acceptance. Christine\u2019s popular column on www.BusinessWeek.com\/SmallBiz<\/a> launched in January 2007.Christine has led many lives: Buddhist monk, Microsoft engineer, geisha trainee, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. Her triumphs and disasters are revealed in her New York Times (and USA Today, Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and Amazon.com ) bestselling business book: Rules for Renegades<\/a>: How to Make More Money, Rock Your Career, and Revel in Your Individuality. The book is available at all major retailers, the Office-Politics bookstore<\/a>, or via www.RulesForRenegades.com<\/a>.Christine has appeared on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, FOX Business Network, PBS, CNET and is frequently quoted in the business, technology and general press at large. Stanford Graduate School of Business has done two case studies on her and PBS has featured her in three specials (Triumph of the Nerds, Nerds 2.0.1, and Nerd TV ). CNET has broadcast two specials covering her unconventional rise to success as a woman with neither a high school diploma nor college degree. Christine believes we can do well and do good, using business as a path for personal development, wealth creation, and philanthropy.<\/p>\n

(Video bio at: http:\/\/www.mightyventures.com\/bio.php <\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear Office-Politics, I have just learned that a lot of my co-workers see me as a “threat.” I work at a corporation where they are very enthusiastic about promoting people who work hard and are well-qualified. I fit both of those criteria. A lot of my co-workers view me as a threat because I have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-jealousy-envy-and-lust","category-office-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}