Have you ever had one of those situations where someone at your work (usually your boss…or your boss’s boss or a friend of your boss’s boss, etc.) who’s decided that for some unknowable reason that they have a major hate-on for you?

Maybe you’re a little too outspoken; perhaps you stuck up for yourself when they picked on you – even though it’s normal to defend yourself in an outright attack. If you’re in this boat, I can empathise as I’ve been there too and this is what I’ve learned about it.

The person who is all over you like white on rice for every little nit-picky thing on the planet is usually in the line of fire, themselves. As we all know, shit rolls downhill and if you happen to be standing in the way of said rolling shit – you’ll get the whole pile right on top of you.

What it usually boils down to is this: this person has royally fucked up.  In order to deflect the shit being thrown at them…they’re looking down that hill and low and behold…there you are! Of course you’ve got your back turned as you’re being a good little worker bee and can’t see what’s coming.

This person, we’ll call them ‘your boss’…is in big trouble and needs to get out of it quick! One way to do this is point the finger at someone else, get yourself out of that hot seat and let someone else (some unsuspecting person) sit in it, instead. Yup, that would be you, sucker!

Sometimes it’s all at once, the shit that falls on you, and sometimes it’s a little at a time to wind you up until you explode. Of course, once you’ve blown up and there’s pieces of you everywhere, that’s when the fun really begins. Because then, my friend, you’ve exposed yourself and  you’ve given them a reason. It may be a small insignificant reason but it’s a reason nonetheless to point that finger YOUR way.

So now what do you do? They’re sitting back (not in the hot seat, that’s where you are) all smug and smirking while your ass is on the line. You can do one of two things. You can fight it and most likely lose the battle and your job, or – you can take charge, get your little butt out of that situation altogether and win the war by ending it before it ever began.

It’s always easier to find a job when you’ve already got one. Yes, it is. It’s time to get on that train and get moving; no one is going save you, help you or take that shit for you. You’re on your own, baby, the whistle has blown and it’s time to board or get off the tracks.