How much poison does the snake have?
The amount of venom usually depends on how deep—and personal—your differences are. If your conflicts are issue related, there’s a good chance you’ll get hissed at but no real long-term damage will be done. If your credibility is solid, the snake will be very cautious about trying to discredit you. Just be careful that your facts are right and your logic is sound. On the other hand, if your detractor sees you as having violated one of her deeply held principles (say, the person doesn’t think you are honest or trustworthy) you’d better watch your back. This person will be hard pressed to keep his/her feelings a secret, since the emotion behind them will push her beyond good judgment. If you start to hear comments coming back to you, you may have to have the “We don’t have to like each other to work together” conversation. This person’s mind will be hard to change. How big is the snake? If the snake is your boss, you’re a dead duck. If it’s your boss’s boss, you’re only safe as long as yo
