Take our Ambition Test

Find a career counselor near me.

Flex your emotional intelligence at work to solidify your professionalism.

Correctly use psychology terms and concepts to identify the dysfunctional dynamic beneath the surface.

This frees you from getting dragged into drama, having to pick a side, and from bad-mouthing people.

Therapy lingo has become a “thing” on social media, and it is helpful when it illuminates important psychological concepts like “gaslighting” or “trauma bonding.” It can be especially useful in a professional setting when being perceived as emotionally intelligent is important. Possibly the best by-product, however, is that it can prevent you from getting dragged into drama, aggressively taking a side, or bashing anyone. Essentially, by identifying the psychological dynamic beneath the surface, you are providing empathy and wisdom in a constructive and professional manner. Before you try it, however, you may want to do your research to ensure that you are using the terms correctly. Six examples may help clarify how it sounds.

Example 1: Recognizing Triangulation in Workplace Conflicts

Your teammate asks you to lunch because he needs help dealing with a colleague. He explains, “I told him that I was drawing a line and that I would not finish the project for him this time... The next thing I know, he is talking to everyone about me behind my back. He, literally, turned my closest co-worker against me. Now, they are work 'besties,' and neither of them will talk to me."

Response: That hurts, and it is so disappointing. It sounds like triangulation, which is very........

© Psychology Today