Opportunity or Threat? Managing Role Overlap

When a new peer hire has skills or responsibilities that overlap with yours, it's natural to feel threatened. But high performers know the key is to focus on getting clarity, instead of making it about them.

The truth is, it is the job of the manager to set expectations and clarity between the roles. Your job is to drive that conversation.

Here is the two-part strategy to proactively manage the situation:

1. The Mindset Shift: Focus on Abundance and Growth

First, frame the situation as a positive development. Why think of it from the lack of "What am I going to lose?" when you can think from the abundance of "What can I gain?"

• Having the team expanding and having a peer can often be a good thing. This signals there are more resources coming, and that the organisation has more growth opportunities.
• More people means more people to take on more scope. This means the scope can stretch, and you can ask for new things you've been wanting to try. There is potential for promotion scope.
• Instead of focusing on what you might lose, ask yourself, "What can I learn? What can I benefit from? What can I ask for also?". 

2. The Strategic Conversation: Get Clarity with Your Boss

The most important action is to schedule a sit-down with your boss to get absolute clarity on roles and priorities. Ask these specific questions to clearly redefine your role and secure your standing:

"How do you see our roles differ?"

"Which areas would you like me to take the lead on vs. supporting?"

"With evolving roles, what would success in my role be measured in 2026?"

"What would a good vs. great performance look like?"

By taking this proactive approach, you are demonstrating leadership, owning the conversation, and ensuring that your value and KPIs are clearly defined for the coming year. This shifts you from a position of reacting to a threat, to a position of leading a transition.

If You Want Support Navigating These Conversations

Inside the Career Accelerator, we practise exactly these kinds of strategic conversations.

The ones that protect your impact, elevate your visibility, and position you for the next level.

Applications will open first to those on the waitlist in January, with special VIP pricing and bonuses. Get in first  and join the waitlist to be first in line!

Rooting for you,
 Angel Kilian
Founder | Career inFocus