An executive coach identifies the causes of troublesome colleagues’ behavior, and how best to respond.

一位高管培训师研究出一些同事惹人心烦的行为动机，并教给我们最佳应对方法。

The Moles²

鼹鼠型的同事

Who They Are: Mole¹ colleagues hide when they feel insecure, allowing problems to become overwhelming.

他们是何许人也：当感觉不安全时，鼹鼠型的同事就会躲藏起来，任由事态恶化。

Reluctant and quick to embarrass, they are easily intimidated⁴.

他们胆小如鼠，面对问题时，他们总是陷入迅速尴尬的境地，不情愿处理。

How to Identify Them: Look for these socially inept⁵ types eating alone at the cafeteria, sitting in the back of the room at the training and sneaking⁶ away early at office parties.

如何判断谁是鼹鼠型的同事：那些不善社交的人。

They may seem laid-back when passing on opportunities for promotions⁷, but they would rather languish⁸ in one position than extend themselves to advance.

他们通常独自一人在自助餐厅吃饭，培训时坐在教室后排，办公室聚会时早早溜掉。

They can appear easygoing when accepting blame for a missed deadline, but actually lack the courage to confront the true offender⁹.

他们看上去对身边的晋升机会并不计较，但他们宁愿在一个工作岗位上颓废消沉一辈子也不愿向上进取。

Fearful of risk, failure and rejection¹⁰, they will shun¹¹ attention at any cost.

因错过最后期限而被批评时，他们表现出很随和的姿态，但实际上他们缺乏敢于得罪人的勇气。

The moment your project requires communicating with others, moles will flee from their responsibilities and disappear under the radar¹².

他们害怕风险、失败和被拒绝，因此会不惜一切代价把自己变成透明人。当你需要和别人交流你的项目时，鼹鼠型的同事会逃避责任，使你联系不上他。

What to Watch Out For: You might find the reclusive and pitiful nature of moles to elicit¹³ your compassion¹⁴.

要注意的问题：你可能会发现鼹鼠型的同事孤独可怜的性格会引起你的同情。

But moles only know how to burrow¹⁵ down.

但是鼹鼠型的同事只知道如何挖洞藏身。

Align¹⁶ yourself with them, and you will fall down the same career-isolation hole they dig for themselves.

与他们相处，你也会同他们一样成为职场上的社交孤岛。

How to Protect Yourself: Don’t waste time helping¹⁷ moles become less isolated¹⁸.

如何保护自己：不要浪费时间来帮助鼹鼠型的同事变得更合群。

They don’t want to be noticed, and will convert anything you say into self-loathing.

他们不想被关注，只会将你的话语转化为自暴自弃的行为。

Count on them only for routine work that can be completed without drawing attention from senior management, especially for tasks which they volunteer to do.

只有那些高管并不关注的日常工作才能放心地交给他们完成，特别是那些他们自愿做的工作。

The Panhandlers

乞丐型的同事

Who They Are: Panhandler colleagues walk the line between performing at their job and hunting for constant recognition.

他们是何许人也：乞丐型的同事在自己的工作岗位上尽力表现，只为了获得他人长期的肯定。

They are time-stealing attention seekers desperate for continuous praise.

他们迫切渴望得到他人的关注和持续的赞美。

How to Identify Them: You’ll find these gregarious¹⁹ types carrying on loudly at happy hour.

如何判断谁是乞丐型的同事：那些在兴奋之际就提高嗓门油嘴滑舌的人。

They are the sycophants²⁰ tailgating anyone who will toss them morsels²¹ of attention.

如果有人对他们表现出一点关注，他们马上会对其溜须拍马。

What to Watch Out For: At first, we are pleased when we meet panhandlers, because they are willing to go out of their way to do something for us, to demonstrate their loyalty²².

要注意的问题：起初，我们在遇到乞丐型的同事时是很高兴的，因为他们会不辞辛劳地为我们做一些事，以此证明他们的忠诚。

But their loyalty shifts like a leaf in the wind.

但是他们的忠诚就像随风摇摆的树叶。

As soon as panhandlers find a better source of affirmation, they will kick you to the curb²³, even in the middle of an important deadline.

一旦找到对他们更加肯定的人，即使在一个重要的项目只进行到一半时，他们也会把你扔到一边。

How to Protect Yourself: Realize that panhandlers focus on praise the way addicts²⁴ focus on drugs.

如何保护自己：要意识到乞丐型的同事对赞美的着迷程度不亚于吸毒者对毒品的着迷程度。

To keep them on task, refrain from giving them praise until the very end of an assignment or project.

为使他们完成任务，在任务或项目马上结束之前不要赞美他们。

The moment you start doling²⁵ out the compliments is the moment you’ll lose their attention.

你对他们的赞美之时正是他们对工作分心之时。

The Headliners

以自我为中心型的同事

Who They Are: Headliner colleagues have egos²⁶ that are guaranteed to aggravate²⁸.

他们是何许人也：以自我为中心型同事总是自我感觉良好。

They are arrogant²⁹ status seekers convinced that everyone envies them.

他们是骄傲自大的求职者，觉得别人都在嫉妒他们。

How to Identify Them: The headliners are always interrupting at meetings and hijacking³⁰ conversations.

如何判断谁是以自我为中心型的同事：以自我为中心型的同事总是随意打断别人的会议和谈话。

They are defensive³¹ when receiving feedback, and only interested in conversations highlighting them.

他们在收到别人对自己的反馈时，总是存有戒心，只对那些以他们为中心的对话感兴趣。

What to Watch Out For: Headliners don’t choose friends.

要注意的问题：以自我为中心的人不会真心实意地交朋友。

They target people to exploit, people they believe can elevate their status.

他们会选择那些有可利用价值的，能够帮他们提升地位的人。

They are manipulators only interested in how you can service their ambition.

他们只对你能为实现他的野心付出多少感兴趣。

Headliners will step on anyone to get ahead.

以自我为中心的人会踩着别人往上爬。

How to Protect Yourself: Manage your relationship with the headliner by saying no to most requests that are outside of your job description, and require that your generosity³² be reciprocated³³ before you help with their next ‘favor.’ Once they realize that they cannot use you to get ahead, they will concentrate on distinguishing themselves technically³⁴, so they can boast about their contributions to the project.

如何保护自己：处理好你和以自我为中心型的同事的关系，对你工作之外的大部分要求，要勇于和他说不，在你下一次帮助他之前，要确保你的付出能够得到回报。一旦他们意识到他们不能利用你晋升，他们就想法设法表现出自己的技能卓越，尽量把对项目的贡献都归功于自己。

The Directors

主管型的同事

Who They Are: Director colleagues are obsessed³⁵ with control.

他们是何许人也：主管型的同事有强烈的控制欲。

They cannot handle uncertainty³⁶, and they want to design the outcome of everything.

他们无法处理不确定的情况，他们想要控制每件事的结果。

How to Identify Them: Directors are more interested in being right than in doing the right thing.

如何判断谁是主管型的同事：比起做正确的事情，主管型的同事更愿意表现为他们的主意都是正确的。

They cannot tolerate anyone disagreeing with them, which means they’re constantly alienating³⁷ people.

他们无法忍受别人不同意他们的观点，那意味着他们不断地被疏远。

They are also the most unlikely co-workers to ever say, Thank you.

他们也是最不可能对你说谢谢的同事。

What to Watch Out For: Heads up! Directors become loose cannons³⁸ when they lose control.

要注意的是：当心！当主管型的同事失去控制权时，他们会变得我行我素。

They will rant²⁷, insult and intimidate³ to keep and regain³⁹ control, even if it means being disliked and feared by their colleagues.

他们会咆哮，侮辱、恐吓同事以重新夺回控制权，即使这会吓到同事，被同事讨厌，他们也毫不在乎。

How to Protect Yourself: With directors, don’t yield until you’ve reasoned to a middle ground.

如何保护自己：对付主管型的同事，除非你自己站定中间立场，否则不要退让。

Be clear about what plans are non-negotiable and be mindful of their verbal drive-bys—and also always wear your psychic⁴⁰ Kevlar.

清楚了解哪些项目是不用协商的，留心他们那些不文明的话语——给自己的内心穿好保护套。

The Conflict Junkies

战斗狂型的同事

Who They Are: Conflict junkies are a combination of all the other types described, grafted⁴¹ into the most toxic⁴² and hostile contagion⁴³ to ever poison the workplace.

他们是何许人也：战斗狂型的同事是所有这些类型的结合体，把他们对别人的敌对心理传染到整个工作场所。

If Ebola was a personality type, it would be a conflict junkie.

如果埃博拉病毒（Ebola）是一种性格类型，那就是这种战斗狂型的性格了。

How to Identify Them: They are the pathological bullies⁴⁴ who harass⁴⁵ even the most well-intentioned staff; the combative⁴⁶ co-workers everyone has a horror story about; the rebellious⁴⁷ employees so caustic⁴⁹, they send their superiors into septic shock.

如何判断谁是战斗狂型的同事：他们是心理变态的暴徒，甚至会骚扰那些出于好意的员工；每个人都有一个关乎于这些杀气腾腾同事的可怕故事；这种叛逆的员工就像害虫一样会把这种不良性格传染给他们上级。

They are completely resistant⁵⁰ to civility.

他们对文明采取绝对抵制的态度。

What to Watch Out For: Like moles, conflict junkies may initially⁵¹ appear submissive, but this is a ploy⁴⁸ that lasts only until they have adjusted to a new situation.

要注意的是：像鼹鼠型的同事一样，战斗狂型的同事起初表现得很顺从，但这是他们适应环境前的一个策略。

Like pretenders, once acclimated⁵², they become agents of disruption.

像骗子型的同事一样，一旦适应了新环境，他们就开始搞破坏。

CJ’s go beyond the tactics used by directors to gain control, pitting colleagues against one another, sabotaging⁵³ projects, undermining their superiors, withholding⁵⁴ information to create conflict and misrepresenting situations to HR.

为获得控制权，战斗狂型的同事所用的策略比主管型的同事还多，让同事们互相攻击，使用阴谋诡计破坏项目，陷害他们的上级，隐瞒信息使人力资源深陷冲突误解的泥潭。

Like panhandlers and headliners, they will go out of their way to feed their egos.

像乞丐型和以自我为中心型的同事一样，他们会使用各种手段来满足自己的野心。

The difference? They act with no concern for consequence⁵⁵, even when it threatens their own careers.

他们有什么不同吗？战斗狂型同事做事不顾后果，即使危害到他们的职业生涯也毫不在乎。

How to Protect Yourself: Handling conflict junkies is more than a one-person job.

如何保护自己：对付战斗狂仅靠一己之力是不够的。

Take advantage of your organization’s policies, regulations and stated values.

好好利用组织上的政策，规则和所倡导的价值观。

Leverage⁵⁶ all penalties available, even those that require legal action, if needed.

必要的情况下，即使需要合法行动，也要采取所有能处罚他们的手段。

Report their conduct to HR, and encourage others to do the same so that you can build a case for their termination.

把他们的行为报告给人力资源，倡导别人也这样做，这样你就能建立他的一个案底从而扳倒他。

If they cannot conduct themselves rationally and respectfully, you should refuse to assist, comply with, respond to or even acknowledge them.

如果他们不讲道理，不尊重人，那你就不要帮助他们，不要遵从他们，不理他们甚至就当不认识他们。

If all else fails, consider asking to be reassigned or taking a new job.

如果这些都不行，那就考虑去别的部门，或者找一份新工作。