prison dynamics in the workplace

[dmvdav]

I know this is long but I need some advice and I know some of you have experience in conquering workplace dynamics. The summary is that I've got a few coworkers trying to play me by pretending to befriend me because they think I'm stupid and easy to push around. The problem is it's starting to look like they're right.

I work with hundreds of people in LA, it's a really diverse workplace but I've never been an outgoing socialite or pretended to be. All I want to do is work as many hours as I can, and get paid. I've been noticed by upper management for showing a great work ethic and being professional, which should just be basic behavior but you can't expect that much out of people anymore I guess. So I've been offered a promotion and am in the training process now.

As expected, once people find out I'm getting this promotion they start to give me a lot of ****, and I start hearing a lot of people talking about me behind my back. I don't really care because I don't need or care about their acceptance and it doesn't affect our work assignment. I got this promotion because of that attitude. I know everything going on, I keep tabs on everyone and I'm extremely observant. I get along with a lot of my coworkers but I'm worried about the ones who want to see me fall.

My biggest issue is I that dont react when people make fun of me. it doesn't register in my brain. They have each other and I have myself and that's it. Nobody clowns on me one on one, only in groups, behind my back and then they act like I have no idea when they try being friendly to me.

There's this group of Mexican (former?) gangbangers, tatted up and all that, that keep trying to pull this prison dynamic **** on me. You know, when the tough thug befriends the naive new guy and makes him feel secure to lull him into a sense of security so that he can make him his ***** later? That's what this group is doing to me and they don't think I know. I recognize what they're doing but I don't know how to handle it. I hate using this word but the pathetic reality is I'm getting bullied by a group of guys I can't avoid. I've never been in this situation before and I don't know how to handle it because they are protected in the company. They aren't going anywhere. Everything is going great for me but when they show up I just get so pissed off because I dont see how I can turn this around. I would just play along but I know they want to turn this into a big, drawn out thing and they also want me to react and get mad.

The worst part about this is one of these guys will be the one training me for this promotion. When word got out I was getting promoted, he quickly volunteered "he's gonna need someone to mentor him. you know what, I'll do it. we get along really well and I'll make sure he's taken care of"

I don't know what to do and I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice. Right now all I'm doing is playing along looking for some way to turn the tables or just get them to actually be cool with me.

 

[Who Dares Win]

Im not sure I got it right so listen at my advice as a general rule rather than a "must do".

If they believe you're stupid and that they can bull**** you, let them believe it..is one of them the guy preparing you for your promotion? even better.

Just tell him how grateful you are for such help that will allow you to climb the ladder and that once you make it you will always remember about it and will reciprocate the help back for him and for the other guys supporting you.

So now this dumbasses not only will avoid sabotating you but they will even really try to help you since they believe that once you make it, there will be some benefit for them too.

To be considered stupid and easy to manipulate is a perfect condition to use and manipulate people yourself, the problem is when people consider you clever and dangerous, it may be great for your ego but not to your profit.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Keep your nose clean, and don't get baited into breaking any rules. Your new best buddy will want you to steal something or forge a document, while swearing no one will ever know. He's just trying to set you up to get fired.

 

[dmvdav]

Thanks for the responses. Ive already been playing dumb hoping to work out some type of deal. At first I thought they were just testing me to make sure I wasn't the type of person to snitch to the boss or something, but there's something really angry in the way they treat me. I believe they want me completely gone, and that's it.

Even though I agree that the right move is to "team up" with them, I don't have anything to offer them. They don't have anything to offer me either, but they have many things they can do to **** me over. I know that anything they suggest to me goes against my self interest and it shows me who else to watch out for, but that's turning into a long list.
I can't figure out there end game and I don't know how to turn this situation around.

 

[parkthebus]

Sounds like they're just acting on intuition, which is that you're an outsider and so they as a group will work against you socially. Just don't take ****, don't pretend to find their teasing jokes funny. If you get into an argument with them it doesn't matter, they can't do anything and they'll realise they have no power. If you don't like the one mentoring you, let him know first and then simply tell management you don't like the guy and will work with him if they ask of it but you don't feel it will be productive.

 

[StacksHitEmUp]

Have you been able to spot which gang they're affiliated or have been affiliated with (should be easy to tell by the tats, if you're not sure describe them to me). Are you Mexican yourself? Can you give us a certain situation that happened which also shows how they generally treat you? Need more info bruh.