How To Identify That Your Work Friend Is Actually Your Enemy

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If you reflect upon all your personal relationships, especially friendships, then you will realise that some bonds are extremely genuine and others have fizzled out over time. While some are naturally phased out, others fall out due to distance as we explore new stages of life.

But, what about those people who pretend to be your friend but turn out to be your enemy or frenemy? To make it clear- 'a wolf in sheep's clothing' in the world of friendships. Be it your neighbourhood, school or college, they lurk everywhere, especially in the office, where a colleague is pretty sweet to you but backstabs behind your back or everytime you turn around.

Due to work obligations, you may have to be around them and it will require you to hang out with them and interact on a daily basis. They are those who appear to be friendly but wait for you to make a mistake at the workplace so that they can use it to pull you down at your workplace and sabotage your position by spreading rumours and gossip. Hence, we have listed the signs for you to identify whether your work friend is actually your enemy or not.

1. They constantly take credit for your work and ideas
If your work friend tries to constantly take credit for the ideas you have shared and the work you have done then that person is not your friend. They often try to take your position as well. Stealing credit from someone is an unethical thing to do and can harm your career prospects and chances of being recognized for your hard work.

2. They always gossip about you
If you share something private or close to your heart with your work friend and they gossip about it and share your personal information with others then it is a red flag and you need to stay away from that person. This very behaviour indicates that they do not have your best interests at heart and they may also try to undermine you in front of others.

3. They bad-mouth your other colleagues
If your work friend is always bad-mouthing your other colleagues is trying to manipulate you against them then understand that it is not a healthy friendship. If this person is always plotting, planning and trying to sow seeds of doubt then it definitely destroy your other relationships with colleagues who may actually care about you or can be a potential genuine friend.

4. They always find a way to criticize your work
If your work friend always tries to put you down and criticizes constantly with an intention to harm you and puts you down then they are not your genuine friend. While constructive criticism is positive, overly criticism can be negative and can be a toxic trait as well. This can even make you doubt your positive qualities and push you towards something that is nothing less than a shipwreck.

5. They purposefully exclude you from important meetings
If your work friend doesn't share any information or misleads you when it comes to attending important events and meetings and even excludes you from these then understand that they are trying to limit your opportunities. They often try to isolate people from their coworkers and their work environment. They can be an obstacle in the ladder of your success and therefore, it is best to remove them from your life.