Your colleague is hindering your career growth. How will you confront this obstacle in team meetings?

It will be important to have specific examples of the harmful to you behaviors to help illustrate why the conversation is happening in the first place. Second be sure to have your ask be very clear. What are you wanting out of this conversation? You need to be able to succinctly articulate what behaviors you want your colleague to stop doing. Especially if they disagree or get defensive.

You know that feeling when a colleague swoops in and takes credit for your idea, leaving you feeling like a deflated whoopie cushion? Before you march over there with fire in your eyes, take a deep breath, detective! Let's be Sherlock Holmes for a sec. Was it a calculated move to steal your shine, or maybe they just got a little flustered and forgot to mention your contribution? Listen in on their interactions during meetings. Are they the type to throw shade subtly, or are they more of an oblivious blunderbuss? This intel will help you craft the perfect approach. Maybe a casual "Hey, remember that idea we discussed? Just wanted to make sure it gets credited to both of us" will do the trick.

I’m not sure I can agree that a team meeting is the proper forum to air your grievances. It may alienate you from the team and depending on the personality or awareness of your manager, this could backfire. Best to take notes, observe, let your manager know you plan to confront the teammate. Managers don’t appreciate personnel surprises and you’ll want them to be in the know should the teammate you’re having the disagreement with take to a place or level you are not prepared for.

Seek Collaborative Solutions. Framing the conversation around collaborative solutions that benefit the entire team is key. Suggest ways to improve collaboration and mitigate the negative impact without directly blaming the colleague. This will benefit everyone in the workplace.

Assuming that these roles and responsibilities are known to the entire team, this is a conversation that should be led by a team l ad or manager if the situation is already tense. If a teammate is stepping on toes and does/doesn’t realize it, again, I’m not sure the team meeting is the best forum. That said, if you’ve tried to have a professional conversation with this person and they keep overstepping you can professionally interject and remind everyone that that work is your role and you’ve got it. You can always present the metric that a teammate doing your work is duplication of productivity efforts and that is waste for the company.

Stay Professional and Focused. Boundaries also entail addressing the issue with professionalism and focusing on the impact on the team and project outcomes rather than making it personal. By doing so, we can keep the discussion constructive and centered on finding solutions.

Yes, bringing in your manager or supervisor sooner rather than later is beneficial to you and they should appreciate the heads up. Do not gossip or vent to peers as in the end you will look petty and make it seem you are attempting to hang up or attack the other person.

Confronting a colleague who is hindering your career growth in team meetings requires a tactful and professional approach. Begin by focusing on specific behaviors or situations rather than personal attributes. Address your concerns directly and calmly, using factual examples to illustrate how their actions impact your work and career progression. Frame the conversation around seeking solutions and improving team dynamics rather than assigning blame. Propose constructive changes or request support from the team to address the issue collaboratively. By maintaining professionalism and focusing on mutual goals, you can address the obstacle effectively while preserving positive working relationships.

If you’re facing a colleague who’s impacting your career growth, start by assessing their intentions. They may not realize the effect of their actions. Observe their behavior in meetings to understand whether their actions are deliberate. Open a constructive dialogue by expressing your concerns clearly, focusing on how their actions affect your work without assigning blame. Set boundaries to define your role and avoid overlaps. If things don’t improve, seek support from a mentor or supervisor. Reflect on your approach, adapt as needed, and keep focusing on your performance and attitude to keep progressing.