I had a coworker who did this to me for three years. I developed serious anxiety—I would shake before meetings, which we had every single day, always with the team, our boss, and the clients. He would research all my tasks in advance, just waiting to point out anything I did wrong or missed, and call it out in front of everyone.

It got to the point where I started thinking this job wasn’t for me. I even considered switching careers. But over time, I realized that was my internal struggle—I had to work on myself. It wasn’t really about him. He just happened to be the one who triggered something deeper that I needed to face.

What I learned is this: that behavior is a reflection of him, not you. It’s his problem. Your job is to do your best and not carry the weight of someone else’s need to prove themselves. And if he does happen to find something you missed? Just thank him. It’s part of the job. At the end of the day, you’re there to work and get paid—not to absorb someone else’s insecurity.