If you’ve ever been the recipient of gaslighting attempts of a work colleague who sees you as a threat to their own career progression you’ll know how unpleasant these incidents are and how if they persist over time, take a toll on your emotional and mental well-being. Some suggestions include:
Show that you’re listening to what the other person is saying (even though you don’t want to hear it)
Practice staying calm and non-reactive. Breathe.
Use an ‘I’ statement like,
I don’t appreciate being spoken to like this. I don’t understand what you mean.
Document all incidents.
Keep a line of communication open with your superiors to keep them informed of the situation. They may be reluctant to deal with this, but the existing legislation now makes it very clear of their duty of care.
Create alignments with your other colleagues who may be willing to support and advocate for you.
Seek help. This could be another senior in the organisation or EAP Assist.
Staying non-reactive diminishes the power of the person being verbally aggressive.
Aggression is never acceptable in any form. The impact is incredibly damaging and can result in prolonged trauma. The question is, how can we show each other a little more kindness, tolerance & understanding & reduce the aggression that currently exists?
