Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
User submission
Teacher Can’t Hide The Joy After Sneaky Coworker Steals Her Job, Only To Get A Harsh Reality Check
Every loyal employee aspires to reach the mountaintop of their chosen career. Those who do it right will work diligently until they reach the summit. But some would rather take a shortcut to the top, even if it means sabotaging a colleague’s career.
This is what a teacher did when she misled her superior and ultimately stole her coworker’s leadership position. However, she soon realized that she wasn’t fit for the job’s obligations as she struggled through every step like an amateur.
Meanwhile, her colleague got to enjoy a lighter workload as she cheekily shared the story online.
RELATED:
Some employees take an unethical approach to their job, all for the sake of getting ahead
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
A teacher experienced this with one of her colleagues, who took advantage of her hearing disorder
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
While she did lose her leadership role to her manipulative coworker, she did get the last laugh
Image credits: StoneofForest
Workplace vultures aren’t held accountable for their actions
Image credits: pexels (not the actual photo)
Experts have a term for people like Tenny in the story: workplace vultures. As the name suggests, these are the manipulative and opportunistic employees who do everything for their career gain, even if it means stepping on someone else’s toes.
Here’s the thing: workplace vultures typically get away with their behavior. According to psychotherapist and executive coach Joan Kingsley, upper management may choose to look the other way because these toxic employees “are contributing to the bottom line.”
“They may be very good ‘yes people,’ people-pleasers, so they know how to please their bosses,” Kingsley told SHRM.
In other cases, companies tend to tolerate such destructive actions because of financial constraints. As business consultant Allison Carmen explains, the cost of recruiting, severance, and lawyers is an expense the company would rather not incur.
Entrepreneur and former Shark Tank guest Matt Higgins refers to this kind of employee as the “hijacker.” As he told Inc., these people are often troubled by their colleagues’ successes because they want it all for themselves.
When handling a hijacker, Higgins advises being assertive. As he explains, the person will be less likely to mess with someone who exudes confidence.
Dr. Heidi Brooks, an organizational behavior lecturer at the Yale School of Management, advises against escalating the situation to a point where things can get heated. She emphasizes the importance of staying calm and professional and avoiding emotional outbursts.
“It’s their character and integrity at stake, not yours,” Dr. Brooks said. “Beware of how much the messages of a bully can get under your skin and get internalized. Stay grounded.”
The author deserves credit for handling the situation the way she did. She let karma do its thing, and it did deliver. It also likely taught Tenny a valuable lesson on sabotaging others for her own gain, and she would be dealing with the fallout for a while.
People in the comments expressed joy in Tenny’s struggle
Poll Question
Total votes ·
Thanks! Check out the results:
Total votes ·
Newsletter
Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
45Kviews
Share on Facebook What do you think ?
Paul C. 5 months ago (edited)
I was a self employed carpet fitter and the company I contracted to most, serviced a lot of nursing homes, including a cancer hospice. Taking up and removing old carpets with multiple "spillages" was unpleasant. A surgical mask was of the upmost importance, so I negotiated a higher rate for the work as no one else wanted to do it. Another fitter heard of the better rates and insisted on taking some of the work. He did one room and removed himself from the contract!
The Starsong Princess 5 months ago
Op should have said “this is a very reasonable accommodation for my disability, but I suppose we can take it up formally under ADA” and then waited for a response.
Jenna Kay 5 months ago (edited)
Sadly my daughter is in a situation like this. She has several learning disabilities, but knows her field exceptionally well, people often call her for clarification. However, a year ago she got a new boss who I have had the extreme displeasure of having to interact with when she was hospitalized. This "man" is literally trying to sabotage her because she has asked for training after he made the most ridiculous demands. She has been trying to leave and he has the audacity to give her a formal reprimand about not meeting his goals ... then he ADMITTED to HR that he had not given any training, or accommodations, dispite her asking. The reprimand came two days after she interviewed for another position. She also has a coworker who wanted to do some of the work she does, so 2 days a week Ms. C is suppose to do the tasks, but never gets things finished, so my daughter is having to deal with and correct her mistakes. It has been awful!! BUT, HR told her file formal complaints!!
Janelle Collard 5 months ago
Could OP ask her students to help her understand stuff when she points to her ear?
Jenna Kay 5 months ago
As a former teacher, I would say most students are quite helpful and would assist IF they heard whatever was being said, but kids are often in their own heads, as many of us are.
Load More Replies...
Seedy Vine 5 months ago
It's absolutely illegal for employers to discriminate against the disabled. I have an auditory processing disorder and it causes mild chaos at home and work sometimes because spoken words don't always make sense. I do prefer email communication. Good luck, OP and glad you found a win.
Mike F 5 months ago
I went through a similar situation when I retired. On one of my last days the boss said they weren't going to hire someone to replace me, "I think we can do it with just the two of us". I smiled and said oh yeah. He hadn't been in the office for more than a few minutes in almost 2 years, and I had been crowing about training someone to do at least the month-end part of my job for almost 6 years. At the 3 day mark I began getting the emails, where's this, how do we do that, where are the forms for... It was a great feeling.
Rick Murray 4 months ago
Epicaricacy is the word for this. I think in various ways we've all been there - some busybody manipulating things to get you pushed to a different task so somebody can waltz into your "dead easy" role, only to find out that it only looked easy from the outside because you were competent. The only response is "this is a you problem, not a me problem". Don't ever offer to help or you'll be doing your new job plus half of theirs.
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
I have a weird thing that if I look at the person speaking to me, I get distracted and don't hear them properly so I tend to look just past them. Most people take it well when I explain it but some get narky. If someone indicates they didn't hear you properly, it take no time at all to repeat yourself slowly, don't be a d**k about it. Tenny deserves all the karma coming her way.
Mark Alexander 5 months ago
A Happy Meal's value for lead work? Sign me up. Easy pay raises for the next few years.
Paul C. 5 months ago (edited)
I was a self employed carpet fitter and the company I contracted to most, serviced a lot of nursing homes, including a cancer hospice. Taking up and removing old carpets with multiple "spillages" was unpleasant. A surgical mask was of the upmost importance, so I negotiated a higher rate for the work as no one else wanted to do it. Another fitter heard of the better rates and insisted on taking some of the work. He did one room and removed himself from the contract!
The Starsong Princess 5 months ago
Op should have said “this is a very reasonable accommodation for my disability, but I suppose we can take it up formally under ADA” and then waited for a response.
Jenna Kay 5 months ago (edited)
Sadly my daughter is in a situation like this. She has several learning disabilities, but knows her field exceptionally well, people often call her for clarification. However, a year ago she got a new boss who I have had the extreme displeasure of having to interact with when she was hospitalized. This "man" is literally trying to sabotage her because she has asked for training after he made the most ridiculous demands. She has been trying to leave and he has the audacity to give her a formal reprimand about not meeting his goals ... then he ADMITTED to HR that he had not given any training, or accommodations, dispite her asking. The reprimand came two days after she interviewed for another position. She also has a coworker who wanted to do some of the work she does, so 2 days a week Ms. C is suppose to do the tasks, but never gets things finished, so my daughter is having to deal with and correct her mistakes. It has been awful!! BUT, HR told her file formal complaints!!
Janelle Collard 5 months ago
Could OP ask her students to help her understand stuff when she points to her ear?
Jenna Kay 5 months ago
As a former teacher, I would say most students are quite helpful and would assist IF they heard whatever was being said, but kids are often in their own heads, as many of us are.
Load More Replies... Seedy Vine 5 months ago
It's absolutely illegal for employers to discriminate against the disabled. I have an auditory processing disorder and it causes mild chaos at home and work sometimes because spoken words don't always make sense. I do prefer email communication. Good luck, OP and glad you found a win.
Mike F 5 months ago
I went through a similar situation when I retired. On one of my last days the boss said they weren't going to hire someone to replace me, "I think we can do it with just the two of us". I smiled and said oh yeah. He hadn't been in the office for more than a few minutes in almost 2 years, and I had been crowing about training someone to do at least the month-end part of my job for almost 6 years. At the 3 day mark I began getting the emails, where's this, how do we do that, where are the forms for... It was a great feeling.
Rick Murray 4 months ago
Epicaricacy is the word for this. I think in various ways we've all been there - some busybody manipulating things to get you pushed to a different task so somebody can waltz into your "dead easy" role, only to find out that it only looked easy from the outside because you were competent. The only response is "this is a you problem, not a me problem". Don't ever offer to help or you'll be doing your new job plus half of theirs.
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
I have a weird thing that if I look at the person speaking to me, I get distracted and don't hear them properly so I tend to look just past them. Most people take it well when I explain it but some get narky. If someone indicates they didn't hear you properly, it take no time at all to repeat yourself slowly, don't be a d**k about it. Tenny deserves all the karma coming her way.
Mark Alexander 5 months ago
A Happy Meal's value for lead work? Sign me up. Easy pay raises for the next few years.
You May Like 35 Reddit Stories About Coworkers People Still Think About, For All the Wrong Reasons “5 Years In Prison”: Man Patiently Waits To Get Revenge On Petty Coworker Who Got Him Fired “Might Need Police Involvement”: Woman Films Coworker Outside Of Work To Prove She’s Not Disabled
Viktorija Strelciunaite
Dominyka Proškėnaitė
Rugilė Žemaitytė
Related on Bored Panda
43
15