Overwhelmed Olivia: Managing the Teammate Who Wanted Your Job

Episode: Overwhelmed Olivia: Managing the Teammate Who Wanted Your Job

Link: https://thehrmediators.captivate.fm/episode/overwhelmedolivia

What this episode is about:

Overwhelmed Olivia just landed her first manager role… and now has to lead the teammate who’s convinced they should’ve gotten the job. This episode explores how to navigate resentment, rebuild trust, and turn a simmering rival into a true partner.

Why listen:

When a promotion puts someone in charge of someone who competed for that same job, every interaction can feel like a challenge. In this episode, we walk alongside Overwhelmed Olivia as she faces eye rolls, subtle undermining, and “that should’ve been me” energy, and turn it into a step-by-step approach with guidance, boundaries, and repair strategies. It’s especially helpful for anyone newly promoted over peers or worried that one resentful direct report might quietly sway the whole team.

Key takeaways

1. Regulate yourself first. Learn to notice your own stress responses and stories, build resilience habits, and manage burnout so you can stay grounded instead of letting anger, fear, or shame escalate the conflict and make things worse.
2. Recognize how powerful status is. Our sense of status—who feels “up” or “down” in the hierarchy—drives so many reactions at work, especially after promotions or reorgs; exploring ideas like those in The Status Game by Will Storr can help you see what’s really underneath people’s behavior.
3. Invest in brave, trust-building leadership. Resources like Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead offer practical tools for building trust, having hard conversations, and leading through messy, emotionally charged situations with more courage and clarity.

Resources

• The Status Game - Will Storr
• Dare to Lead - Brené Brown
• Emotional Resilience: 9 Ways to Be Resilient in Tough Times | Psychology Today
• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle - Book on burnout by Emily & Amelia Nagoski.

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Website: TheHRMediators.com

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About the show

Workplace conflict is inevitable, but with Karen & Kendra’s mix of HR savvy, mediation experience, psychology insights, and humor, you’ll learn to turn conflict into connection.

Credits

Music: Farben by MagnusMoone

Notes

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Hosts

Karen Gleason & Kendra Beseler

© 2025 The HR Mediators

Privacy note: These are inspired by real experiences, but we change all identifying details, adjust timelines, and blend similar accounts.