When They Walk In Like They Know Better: Surviving the Subtle Sabotage of a Workplace Takeover

 

When They Walk In Like They Know Better: Surviving the Subtle Sabotage of a Workplace Takeover

There’s a particular kind of silence that falls in a room when someone dismisses your years of work with a single raised eyebrow or a casual, “Well, this is how we did it at XXXXX.”

It’s not the booming kind of conflict that ends in slammed doors or raised voices. No, it’s quieter than that. It lives in the comments like:

“Oh, that’s interesting, but we usually do it this way.”
“How did this even work before?”
“It’s going to take a while for everyone to catch up to the new standards.”

These phrases slip in under the radar, just enough to plant doubt, but not enough to raise a formal grievance. You start to second-guess yourself. Was that personal? Are they actually saying I’m not good enough? Or am I just tired?

If you’ve ever experienced a company takeover, where you go from being a respected team member to a reluctant spectator of a corporate invasion, you know how deeply this can cut.

Especially when the new arrivals don’t ask about what’s been working. When they bypass your knowledge. When they act like everything that existed before them was wrong. When they don’t see you. When they give the impression of being sensitive to the change, but their behaviours don't match what they say.

The Impact Runs Deeper Than You Think

Let’s be honest. Being overlooked or undermined doesn’t just bruise your ego; it threatens your very sense of identity, especially if your role has been more than just a job. If you’ve poured time, energy, heart, and humanity into your work, this kind of subtle dismissal doesn’t just sting. It erodes.

• Confidence begins to crack. You find yourself hesitating before making suggestions. Wondering if you’re now seen as “resistant to change” instead of someone with valuable insight.
• Trust disappears. Not just in the new team, but in yourself. You doubt your own instincts. You replay conversations. You wonder if you’re being overly sensitive or simply… invisible.
• Resentment builds quietly. You may start withdrawing. Showing up just enough. Doing the job but not bringing your full self to the table anymore, because what’s the point?

And the worst part? It can feel like there’s no safe place to talk about it. You risk sounding bitter or defensive. But the truth is, this isn’t about an unwillingness to change; it’s about being dismissed in the process.

So, How Do You Get Through It?

Not by becoming smaller.

Not by going to war.

But by staying rooted in what you know to be true and refusing to let other people’s arrogance rewrite your worth.

Here’s how:

1. Anchor Yourself in Evidence

Remind yourself of what you’ve done. Literally. Keep a file; call it your “work wins” if you like. Document the projects you led, the systems you maintained, and the lives you impacted. When people try to rewrite the story, go back to your own pages. Your experience is valid.

2. Stay Curious, Not Defensive

It’s easy to want to shut down. But meet arrogance with curiosity, especially when you know your ground. Ask why they do it that way. Share why you’ve done it yours. Frame your input as a strength, not a defence.

“That’s interesting. I’d love to see how that’s worked in a different context. In our environment, we found that doing X helped reduce Y. Wonder if there’s a way to blend both?”

This isn’t about seeking approval. It’s about asserting wisdom without starting a war.

3. Find Your Allies

Not everyone who comes in with the takeover will be tone-deaf. Some may genuinely want to collaborate. Gravitate toward those who listen, who ask, and who acknowledge the work that’s already been done. Build with them.

4. Name the Impact (Safely)

If things persist, and you feel psychologically unsafe, it’s okay to raise it. You don’t need to accuse. You can frame it as an observation.

“I’ve noticed there’s a strong preference for new methods, which is fine, but sometimes it feels like our existing practices and the people who created them aren’t being acknowledged. That’s having a real impact on morale.”

Use “I” language. Stay factual. But don’t stay silent.

5. Don’t Let This Rewrite Your Legacy

Here’s the hardest truth: sometimes people won’t see you because they don’t want to. It doesn’t make you invisible. It makes them unwilling.

You’ve built something. Maybe not perfect, but meaningful, consistent, and rooted in real care. That can’t be erased by someone’s smug PowerPoint or a louder voice in the room.

Let them miss what they can’t see.

But don’t you dare forget it.

If you’re walking through this right now, take heart. You’re not alone, and you’re not overreacting. You’re navigating a silent kind of grief, that feeling of being replaced without ceremony, of having to defend your worth in a room that should already know it.

Hold your ground, and remember: change can be necessary, but so is respect for what came before.

And if no one else says it today: I see you. Your work matters. You are more than good enough.

With love, Caron 💜