Team Skill Builder 15-3: Dealing with People Who Make Your Life DifficultThe Backstabber This is the fourth in a series of exercises that introduces you to people who might make your life and job difficult.

Have students read the following statement from Rex Duncan, an employee at Alvey Electric, a medium-sized parts-manufacturing firm in Tennessee: Working with Brutus sure is frustrating. He has the uncanny ability to pull off any work assignment given to him. Not long ago, Brutus was on my project team to develop a new electrical harness system for a classic car. Paul had been given the assignment of researching other successful efforts so that we didnt spend all our time reinventing the wheel. At the meeting when Paul presented his findings, Brutus waited until just the right moment before jumping in with his own research findings. Several of the things Brutus found flew in the face of Pauls research and made Paul appear incompetent. I dont trust Brutus. He is very controlling, greedy, and driven by his hunger for power. He is always behind the scenes, maneuvering and manipulating to get what he wants. Brutus knows just what to do to get the work done and always has his own agenda. He never volunteers suggestions or ideas to the groups planning meetings. If the meeting includes people from corporate, Brutus is really great at sabotaging the groups plan. He always seems to have a plan or two in his hip pocket to spring on the group. His surprises mean you always have to be on your guard. Ive learned not to turn my back on Brutus. He is always spreading rumors and will try his best to ruin your career to promote his. Youre always on your guard with him. His team spirit is minimal, but he steps forward to take credit for any successes. Hell double-cross teammates for personal gain and make excuses for any missed work. We work in an organization where the rewards arent great, but Brutus is still there, trying to figure out a way to work the system.

Using the Internet, find at least three sources for coping with a backstabber in the workplace.

Carefully review each site for suggestions for dealing with this type of behavior.

Based on your findings, what suggestions would you give to Rex Duncan for coping with Brutus?

Group students into small groups of at least four. One of the students will play the role of Rex Duncan, another will be his immediate supervisor, and the others are coworkers who have similar observations about Brutus. The student playing the role of Duncan should share his or her observations about Brutus, and those playing the roles of coworkers should add supportive comments to the conversation.

If the supervisor investigated and found all the allegations to be true, what should the supervisor do?

Discipline should be directed against the act and not against the person. Does the group believe that disciplinary action is warranted? Why? Why not?

Why might disciplinary or corrective action be difficult for the supervisor?

Explain how this Team Skill-Builder increased your knowledge of the difficulties of changing undesirable behaviors via positive discipline.