Envy disguised as critique
A peer's promotion is announced and they say, 'Good for her. Shame about the way she treats her team, though.'
Rule out first
Whether the critique is accurate. Whether they've raised it before the success. A real conflict of interest.
What could explain it
Envy: The critique appears after the other's success and attacks the person, not the decision.
Social comparison: They're constantly measuring; the critique comes with lists of their own achievements.
Mimetic desire (Girard): They want what the other has precisely because the other has it, and lose interest when it's not contested.
Devaluation: The other person is made small to reduce the pain of their success; the person was praised before.
Vulnerable (covert) narcissism: They feel overlooked and secretly special; the critique carries resentment at not being recognised.
Ressentiment (Nietzsche): The critique is moral, not practical: the successful person is shallow, a sell-out, 'all ego'. Their own lack is presented as integrity, and they seem pleased when the target stumbles.
A next move
Ask what they'd have done in the other's place. Specific, fair answers mean critique; vague irritation points to envy.
If it’s you
Whose success makes me want to find fault, and what do I want that they have?