HR - Difficult Coworker Conflict
Steve Collins
Address ongoing issues with a passive-aggressive colleague who takes credit for your work and undermines you subtly.
Scenario Briefing
Review the scenario details below. You can customize the Background, Issue, and Goal to practice different variations.
Steve Collins is a senior account manager who's been at the company 8 years. He's territorial, takes credit for others' work, and is passive-aggressive.
He denies wrongdoing, deflects blame, and plays the victim when confronted. He's not overtly hostile, which makes him harder to address.
Use conflict resolution techniques to address specific behaviors, find common ground, and establish better working boundaries.
What You'll Be Evaluated On
- Used "I" statements instead of accusations
- Gave specific examples of behavior
- Stayed calm when met with deflection
- Acknowledged their perspective
- Focused on mutual goals and outcomes
- Did not take the bait on passive-aggression
- Proposed concrete solutions
- Set clear boundaries going forward
💡 Pro Tip
Customize the scenario to match your real-world situations. Edit the Background to reflect your company's context, adjust the Issue to match common customer problems you face, and modify the Goal to focus on skills you want to develop.