Is my coworker undermining me?

[Belle23]

A new girl started in my office a couple months. She’s very nice to my face, but I’m starting to question whether she’s undermining me or trying to sabotage me. We’re auditors and the audit were working on is broken into three parts - one for each team member. While each member has their own part, we are still responsible for having knowledge of all of the parts and project as a whole.
 

I felt like we worked well as a team in the beginning. However, things shifted when she started excluding me from email correspondence and has had several private meetings with our other team member who also happens to be the lead lead. In their one-on-ones, they’ve collaborated together to decide the direction of our audit (without my knowledge) and it ultimately made me look unprepared in a significant meeting with our upper management. Her leaving me off emails has left me playing catch-up a lot, too. I addressed it, but she blew me off.

This past week, I requested to take three days of leave — I never take leave! Prior to taking leave, I made sure my supervisor and team lead were ok with me picking my work up where I left off when I returned. They said it was fine because we had no pressing deadline. While I was off, my coworker volunteered to work on my section of the audit. She completed it and presented it to management. It’s completely different than what I had planned. I inquired about what was presented to my management and for the meeting notes or at least a thorough update but they were vague and got defensive when I asked for more detail. I know were a team working toward one goal but if the work needed done then, I wouldn't taken leave at a later date. I feel like she did this to inflate her accomplishments and undermine me. Does anyone have advice on what to do, or am I overreacting? 

[d0nnivain]

I think you are right to keep an eye on her.   I would have your own one on one with the lead.  Tell that person you don't understand why you were previously excluded & ask the lead to make sure that doesn't happen again.  

The discuss your idea about the audit & how it differed from what the new co-worker presented.  You may also want to discuss with the new person why she changed things. 

I doubt she's intentionally trying to set out to damage you from a perspective where she thought I'm going to get Belle23.  Most people aren't that Machiavellian.  Instead she probably is simply trying to impress her new bosses & that is having an adverse affect on you.  

[Belle23]

2 hours ago, d0nnivain said:

I think you are right to keep an eye on her.   I would have your own one on one with the lead.  Tell that person you don't understand why you were previously excluded & ask the lead to make sure that doesn't happen again.  

The discuss your idea about the audit & how it differed from what the new co-worker presented.  You may also want to discuss with the new person why she changed things. 

I doubt she's intentionally trying to set out to damage you from a perspective where she thought I'm going to get Belle23.  Most people aren't that Machiavellian.  Instead she probably is simply trying to impress her new bosses & that is having an adverse affect on you.  

I agree, she’s probably not out to get me but it feels like it.  I feel like it’s making me look like I can’t do my work, even though I’m fully capable. I’d never ask for someone’s work while they’re out on leave unless it needed done immediately. I’m always inclusive, too. I’m going to talk to my team lead. 

[mark clemson]

It sounds like she saw an opportunity to "look good" and took it. Making you "look bad" may or may not have been an intent (or a consequence - after all your vacation was approved). However, I agree it does sound like someone you need to keep an eye on in case there is more to her "ambition". Many do "rise to the top" by stepping on others' heads to a certain extent, so you might be "victim #1". Hard to say.