Now, don't go thinking every charming, pleasant person you work with is secretly a backstabber. Gustafson estimates they make up about 5 percent of the work force. But realize that backstabbers ingratiate themselves successfully. Organizational psychologist Paul Babiak of Hopewell Junction, N.Y., says the modern workplace actually encourages backstabbing. With multiplying mergers and fast-paced technology, chaos rules.
Rigid hierarchy is old-school.
Years of hard work are not always necessary to snare a coveted position. The underling picking up the slack was a shy techie Dave won over with praise and flattering attention. I'm going to help us be very successful. It's very seductive. As soon as Dave got what he wanted out of the techie, of course, he dumped him like last year's Windows software.