When someone gets up laughing after a fall, he or she is trivializing the incident. That is a common tactic and is acceptable. However, when someone, say, calls Holocaust just an event in history, such trivializing is perceived as an attack or a deliberate agenda to make light of something significant.
In the corporate world, trivializing is common. Bosses use it to postpone the promotion you've been asking for. Subordinates use it against their boss/employer -- for example, when a lower performance rating hurts them. Peers use it to gain a "competitive edge" over you.
I'm an innovator and Change leader based in India and I experience this "attack" every day. Now, I recognize them instantly. How can you figure out if someone is trivializing, say, your accomplishment? There are many behaviors that give away the hidden motive.
In the corporate world, trivializing is common. Bosses use it to postpone the promotion you've been asking for. Subordinates use it against their boss/employer -- for example, when a lower performance rating hurts them. Peers use it to gain a "competitive edge" over you.
I'm an innovator and Change leader based in India and I experience this "attack" every day. Now, I recognize them instantly. How can you figure out if someone is trivializing, say, your accomplishment? There are many behaviors that give away the hidden motive.
1. They may say something like ...
- "It is not new. Probably there are many other ..." OR "I know that some of the bigger companies already use ..."
- "Perhaps there are other aspects that are more important ..."
- "I'm sure there are better ways to ..."
- "Today, the world actually is moving toward something else ..."
2. Your "attackers" also reveal their true motive when they ignore all the good things you have done and divert attention to that one bad thing.
3. Or they switch to an item of far lesser importance. For example, rather than comment on the content of your presentation, they will talk about your terrific graphic skills as seen in your choice of colors.
4. They most likely start with a praise -- a phrase, a sentence, or even a whole "paragraph" of praise.
Possible reasons for trivializing are: Jealousy ... perception of you as a threat ... arrogance ... genuine ignorance! ... (Feel free to add your own items using the Comments link you'll find at the end of this article).
What can you do about it? Just recognize it and ignore it. Recognizing is important so you don't get misled. Pretty soon -- hopefully -- your "attackers" will realize how immature they have been.