Have a colleague who is constantly complaining about her plight? She’s got so much work? She’s got incompetent staff? Everything is a crisis. Nothing is her fault.

She may even get a lot of attention because of these tactics. But these are not wise long-term tactics. In the short-term it’s important to remember that even though no one is paying attention to you—because you have your stuff together and because you put out fires instead of creating them—you are on the better path. Her tactics will yield short-term gains with extra attention and support for her work. But eventually she’ll develop a reputation that will be seriously detrimental to her overall career.

Your colleagues who cry wolf all the time will eventually experience some negative outcomes. Eventually others will learn that she is incompetent. She should be held accountable for all the crises that keep recurring under her leadership. In addition, all the drama that comes from her desk has one thing in common: her! And if they haven’t found her incompetent they’ll stop believing her for her dramatic complaints. She will prove herself untrustworthy because of crying wolf. 

Now the problem with people like this is when you see through their BS before others. And then you have to tolerate the extra attention and support that they get, and be okay with knowing that your good work doesn’t get noticed. If the company’s leadership is good, this won’t last long. However, if it’s lacking, you’ll have to decide for how long you’re willing to live in the shadows. People like this will not win in the long-term, rest assured. But they can be crazy-making in the short-term. Keep this perspective and keep your distance.