Five Ways to Deal With Passive-Aggressive Colleagues

Rachel Farrell, Special to CareerBuilder

On just about every reality TV show, from 'The Bachelor' to 'Jersey Shore' to 'The Real Housewives of' (pick a city -- any city), we hear the same thing: "I don't like drama."

But disdain for drama isn't limited to our favorite reality stars. It's also apparent in the workplace.

Think about your colleagues for a second. Can you think of one who constantly gossips, sabotages information or makes snarky remarks followed by "just joking!" Maybe he says "everything is fine" -- but he says so with an attitude. All of these behaviors are only a few of the ways passive aggressiveness manifests itself at work.

But why?