How to Deal with a Selfish Coworker
Your contribution to any work group is dependent on two things: your abilities and what the group expects from you. You can only control your own behavior – period.
However, there are a few identifiers to self-centered, negative influencers. These are known as selfish roles, and according to Fraleigh, D., Tuman, J., Adams, K. (2007) there are four types.
Blockers: stop the group from moving forward its objective – either by refusing to accept decisions the group has made or by rejecting other group members’ ideas or opinions.
Withdrawers: refuse to make any contribution or participate in discussion. They may feel out of their element in the group or have difficulty following other members’ comments and ideas.
Dominators: usually monopolize group interactions, interrupt others, argue for the sake of arguing, and insist on having the last word. This behavior may stem from feelings of insecurity or an aggressive personality.
Distracters: the exact opposite of harmonizers – send the group in irrelevant directions by making off-topic comments or engaging others in extraneous conversations. They may also mock other members’ serious attention to the work, feign helplessness, or demand constant help.
Do you know someone like this?
Source: Fraleigh, D., Tuman, J., Adams, K. (2007) Let’s Communicate! An Illustrated Guide to Human Communication. Bedford / St. Martin’s