Constantly comparing yourself to a coworker rather than looking at your work holistically can give you "career dysmorphia," Nadkarni says. Meg doesn't work at the firm anymore, and has heard her nemesis took over some of her old work. For many I spoke to, it's not clear that the work nemesis even knew they were the nemesis: The contempt often seems to go in one direction. When she went on leave, Maureen says, her work nemesis had stealthily assumed her tasks. Several people I spoke to have grown empathy for their work nemesis with distance, and that's a feeling I can relate to.