how to deal with difficult coworkers at work

How to Embrace Change Without Fear or Frustration. This article has been viewed 120,401 times. How to Deal with Difficult Coworkers: 14 Effective Strategies & Coping Tactics, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communication-success/201309/ten-keys-handling-unreasonable-difficult-people, https://www.artofmanliness.com/career-wealth/career/how-to-deal-with-bad-coworkers/, https://www.performancemagazine.org/office-drama-difficult-coworker/, https://hbr.org/podcast/2022/08/strategies-for-dealing-with-difficult-coworkers, https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/copingwith-stresstips.html, https://copebetter.com/how-to-deal-with-difficult-coworker/, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/communication-success/201309/ten-keys-handling-unreasonable-difficult-people. The best way to get Change Resistors to adopt a new idea or a new way of doing things is to help them understand how this new idea or work method will benefit them. You might find that you understand them better after talking. By Amanda Covaleski Mar. Effective Ways to Deal with Arrogant Colleagues at Work. The first step is to approach them directly and professionally. If you have to have discussions face-to-face or over the phone, follow up with an email to recap the conversation. You may not get a positive response at first, but you may. In the workplace, you will encounter a wide range of personality types, including people who are inconsiderate, stubborn, incorrigible, inappeasable, indecent or downright sleazy. Get More Out of The Budding Optimist Blog! How to Embrace Change Without Fear or Frustration, How To Forgive Someone And Let It Go For Good, 17 Things You Can Do Today to Get Your Life Together. How to Deal With a Difficult Coworker (30+ Ways) - UpJourney You can also effectively communicate by being assertive and letting the other person know what type of behavior you expect. By signing up, you're giving consent to use this information to send emails and communications as described in the site's Privacy Policy. Be assertive and set clear expectations about what a respectful relationship looks like. Divas are often talented in what they do. Using humor is great if it comes naturally to you. Everyone has different ways of venting frustration, and they may not have any idea how their attitude affects you. How to Deal With Difficult Coworkers (With Examples) Dealing With Difficult People At Work: How to work with If possible, keep a log of their behavior, along with hard evidence like emails and messages. Amy Gallo September 21, 2022 Image Source/Getty Images Summary. But there are always those . How Nonviolent Communication Can Change Your Relationship, How to Recognize and Cope With Micro Cheating, According to a Therapist, Assertiveness Can Improve Your RelationshipsHere's How, Using Rationalization as a Defense Mechanism, How Resilience Helps You Cope With Life's Challenges, 9 Yellow Flags in a RelationshipSigns and How to Deal With Them, Understanding the Psychology of Interrupting, 6 De-Escalation Techniques to Diffuse Conflict, Dealing With a Partner Who Doesn't Want Change. Accept your differences and focus instead on the job. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. How do you write a cover letter for a job at Dollar General? wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Whenever you meet a coworker who seems to want to get close to you too quickly and makes you feel special to the point where it makes you almost blush, always ask yourself: Why?, The same coworker will probably tell you things like Jim doesnt like you or Sarah said this about you. When that happens, instead of getting angry right away at Jim or Sarah, ask yourself: Why is this person telling me this? Some of them are just petty, others are out for blood. What is a good resume objective for a case manager? {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/Deal-With-a-Difficult-Co%E2%80%90worker-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Deal-With-a-Difficult-Co%E2%80%90worker-Step-10-Version-2.jpg.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/Deal-With-a-Difficult-Co%E2%80%90worker-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Deal-With-a-Difficult-Co%E2%80%90worker-Step-10-Version-2.jpg.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"

\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Teavana Application Online: Jobs & Career Info. Lunch is also a great time to meditate for 5 or 10 minutes. Be prepared for setbacks and challenges along the way, but dont lose hope (or your cool). Try to connect with him in that space. Before anything, check in with yourself 5 types of difficult coworkers How to deal with any kind of difficult coworker Everyone has a story about a difficult coworker. How difficult a person is for you to deal with depends on your self-esteem, your self-confidence, and your professional courage at work. Often, if you can do that without becoming defensive, you can navigate the situation and work together. When working with a difficult co-worker, do not be afraid to take the conversation offline via a phone call or face-to- face chat. How Old Do You Have to be to Work at Subway? And if you do this over and over, theyll change how they behave around you. Your counsel will not always be welcomed regardless of how well-intentioned or kindly spoken. 2016;63(1):32-41. Keep a list of your personal accomplishments to ensure that attention-seeking coworkers cant take credit for your work. When dealing with a difficult coworker it's important to understand the other person and do some self reflecting. You Can Learn How to Deal With Difficult People at Work - The Balance How to Deal with Difficult People: A Comprehensive Guide - Verywell Mind Before diving into practical strategies, it is essential to recognize why letting go is crucial in the workplace. And dont just do these things when youre around a Saboteurmake these habits part of your daily work routine. Identify the Difficult Coworkers All work situations have difficult coworkers, from healthcare jobs to sales jobs. The first is to actually go against their ideas, so be prepared to fight fire with fire. Do they have a long commute or stressful meetings once they arrive at work? Self-awareness and self-regulation are critical skills for managing problematic behavior. How to deal with difficult co-workers - The New Paper So lets see what kind of challenge we got on our hands, shall we? 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Strategies for Dealing with Difficult Coworkers - Harvard Business Review Be assertive and ask for exactly what you want.. Carving out time in your day for self-care activities like exercise, sufficient sleep, or engaging in activities you enjoy can also help you maintain a positive outlook and resilience in the face of workplace challenges. They will try to get you on their side quickly by telling you what you want to hear, volunteer to help you out, and take a keen interest in you. From what Ive seen in both my research and personal experience working in HR, unpleasant coworkers is one of the top causes of workplace demotivation. Do they feel like their job is threatened by you or another coworker? Details. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Putting firm boundaries in place is also a good way to handle difficult relationships with friends and in social settings. Her book, There Is No Heartbeat: From Miscarriage to Depression to Hope, is authentic, transparent, and provides hope to many. Practice active listening and seek to understand others perspectives rather than focusing solely on your own. A whopping 83% of people say they suffer from work-related stress. Avoid these confusing phrases at work, language experts say - CNBC They often initiate direct confrontations with others. They make those around them feel special. For example, instead of saying, "Get your act together, or we're going to miss our deadline," say, "I'd like to talk to you about what we can do to get that project you're working on finished sooner.". Robert works with his girlfriend at a busy LA actors agency, where he secures roles for a number of B-list and a few A-list celebrities. This could mean reworking your office layout so your desk faces a different direction or capitalizing on an opportunity to relocate to an empty cubicle down the hall. When a person makes life more stressful for you, it can be challenging to have empathy for them, or try to understand their point of view. What is the qualification of an office assistant? 5 Tips for Dealing With Difficult Coworkers - I Am Second 22 November 2019. Alternatively, if you find your emotions taking you over, look to gain fresh air. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a6fa63ea0c40f372586cdc327768653d" );document.getElementById("f996e08bfa").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); My name is Sabrina, I am a two-time Leukemia survivor, the recipient of a Bone Marrow Transplant, and a person living with a rare, progressive, and irreversible lung condition called Bronchiolitis Obliterans. For example, suppose you were working on a project together, and the duration of the collaboration was almost over. If they dont deliver their part of the work, ask them why and get them to commit to a plan to prevent it from happening again. Fear of failure can significantly impact your performance and hinder your ability to take risks or seize opportunities. When someones behavior makes it difficult for you to do your job, carry out your everyday duties, or maintain a healthy relationship with them, they can be defined as difficult. Ranging from the words they say to their inability to work effectively with others, difficult people can drain you mentally, physically, and emotionally. Take notes, save your work meticulously (including email exchanges with the Saboteur), and try to communicate important things via writing whenever possible. Identify coping strategies, such as active listening, setting clear boundaries, and seeking support from colleagues. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. If you are trying to help someone stay calm, model calmness, make sure your voice is steady, and you are clear in what you want to communicate. 1. Difficult co-workers can hinder your happiness at work and create a toxic environment. Having trusted colleagues, mentors, or friends at work can provide invaluable support when dealing with challenging situations. They dont like to share resources and will often refuse to cooperate with others. This involves talking to other people about the problem, in a non-confrontational and helpful way. They communicate with a whirlwind of emotions rather than speaking/writing calmly and with logic. This way, you will avoid misunderstanding the tone and meaning. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. If you calm down and observe them close enough, youll see theyre probably also friendly with Jim and Sarah. This act helps you to become more empathetic. Seek support from colleagues or mentors who can provide guidance and encouragement. This article was co-authored by Meredith Walters, MBA and by wikiHow staff writer, Glenn Carreau. Dr. Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and a professor at Yeshiva Universitys clinical psychology doctoral program. Strategies to Help You Deal With Difficult Coworkers By Their Personality Type, 3. They may not even realize theyve done something you dont like. When working with a difficult person, negative emotions may cloud your ability to make clear observations. They have a knack for blowing things out of proportion. Keep in mind that whatever the other person is responding to about you, it's not necessarily because you're doing wrong. From the Magazine (September-October 2022) Martina Paukova Summary. Politely, but firmly, say that you don't appreciate the inappropriate jokes, don't want to do their extra work, or tell them whatever else is on your mind. They seek lots of attention and will constantly try to bring the spotlight onto themselves. Do your best to learn from it, assuming its reasonable. 4 Ways to Deal With a Toxic Coworker - Harvard Business Review Do you feel happy, productive, and full of purpose at work? Making mistakes is a part of being human, and dwelling on them only hinders your personal and professional growth. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. If Saboteurs gain enough influence, they could dish out some real damagefrom ruining your chances at promotion to turning everyone against you. To ensure you can let go of work-related stress, establish boundaries and make time to disconnect outside of working hours. To do this, overcome the impulse to discuss how the experience made you feel and instead concentrate on the tangible impact of your coworker's behavior. Evaluate yourself and the role you play in your professional relationships. 'Hoard evidence of your greatness': 10 ways to be much more confident Family conflicts present a different dynamic. Cant really do anything can I? So how can you work effectively with this type of difficult coworker? September 01, 2022 Illustration by Aya Kakeda Summary. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Be clear about your boundaries and communicate them assertively. So what is a person to do in that case.. ? We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Ultimately, dealing with someone who is difficult can be an unpleasant, stress-inducing experience. If they cant, theyll do the bare minimum to get by. Some people cannot take advice. Learning how to let things go at work is crucial for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and successful career. How to Deal With Difficult Coworkers in a Constructive Way Written by MasterClass Last updated: Feb 8, 2022 2 min read Learning a few simple conflict resolution tactics can help you deal with difficult coworkers and managers alike, making it easier to build positive relationships and reach your career goals. If you dont want their sour attitude to rub off on you, you have to keep your distance. Empathy: What's the Difference? Identify and Acknowledge the Source of Your Negative Feelings. It is not possible to avoid a nasty co-worker altogether. But if their preferences create too many inefficiencies or other problems, communicate the issue to them and let them know their standardsalthough set with good intentionsare unrealistic under the circumstances. Other times theyre just insensitive or downright rude, and if thats the case, dont be afraid to tell them how their message came across. If they dont get the hint, let them know how you feel about their negativity. When possible, I find the 1:3 rule applies to engaging. Course participants not in Singapore may choose to sign up for our online Dealing With Difficult People At Work training course. Negative thoughts can often exacerbate our emotions and hinder us from letting go. This disconnect can occasionally lead to conflict at work. Need Help? But that can lead to reduced. Its a vicious cycle. Take a Look . For instance, difficult coworkers or bosses at work might contribute to an unfavorable work environment, reduce productivity, and even impact happiness at work. So what can you do? Where your duties overlap, resolve to keep interactions professional. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Because in order to find the solution, we must first understand the problem (or what I like to call the challenge). Don't let problematic behavior cross your boundaries, Bowman says. Talking to them one-on-one may be more productive. They insist on maintaining their established opinions and being right. And dont forget to connect with me on social media! It could be due to a personality clash, or perhaps you are bumping heads due to different agendas. Theyre complacent and not interested in learning and trying new things. August 16, 2022. 5. Be willing to leave a gathering if necessary to preserve your peace of mind. This time away from work will help you recharge, rejuvenate, and gain a fresh perspective. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. If necessary, seek guidance from your supervisor or human resources on how to address persistent conflicts. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. You can always use professionalism as an excuse to avoid being rude! In this article, we will explore effective strategies to help you release negativity and achieve a more positive and fulfilling work experience. Personal connections can be strained, stressful, and filled with conflict when difficult friends or family members are involved. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). My goal is to live a healthy life filled with an abundance of joy and optimism, and I want to share that journey with you. . Addressing conflicts or negative situations directly, respectfully, and assertively can prevent them from festering and escalating. These are people who are often with you day in and day out. Communicate to a Gossiper only when you need to, and keep it short and sweetbecause the longer you keep a conversation going, the more opportunity youll give to the Gossiper to tell you all about Nancys divorce or what Joe said about Tom behind his back. If theres no other option, escalate the issue to a supervisor. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. instead of, "You never give me enough time to prepare for presentations.. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Learn how you can work with difficult personalities and still achieve success! 2. Helping them to understand what you will and will not tolerate in the workplace, in the family dynamic, or in a relationship can create the boundaries that you need. Find a way to take a pause and gain perspective. Maybe you have said or done something to ruffle his feathers. She is passionate about parenting and family, as well as destigmatizing mental health issues. Try not to complain unnecessarily yourself, either. For example: Ive noticed you dont respond to my calls or emails until a few days later, and this really slows down progress on my end. They love to bring up problems but rarely offer a solution. Remind yourself of past achievements and times you overcame obstacles. Dont trust anything they say, and never give them any valuable information about yourself. 6 Ways To Deal With Difficult Coworkers - Cleveland Clinic Look for root causes. Because these are more intimate relationships, where difficult behaviors and disagreements may have been brewing for years, setting boundaries often provides the best solution. Its easy to get stressed and struggle with productivity when youre juggling a bad work relationship, but thankfully, there are ways to improve the situation. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Photograph: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images 3. "Gave me a lot of good tips in what to do while dealing with a negative co-worker.". They like to talk about other people, often casually and in a mean-spirited way, and get involved in other peoples business. In order to work well with an Overly-Sensitive worker, you have to show empathy and be willing to understand and work with their characteristics and habits. You don't want to end up saying something you regret in the heat of the moment! LISTEN. So instead of reacting quickly, always ask yourself the why behind someones behaviour. Just be prepared that it might take more than a few attempts to get the message across to them. You can also take steps to regulate your own behavior by taking deep, calming breaths, practicing focused mindfulness, or even taking a break from the situation by removing yourself and coming back to the conversation later. So as a good practice, try to communicate the reasons behind your actions whenever possible. Characteristics of the Chronic Complainer: Subscribe to The Budding Optimist Newsletter to receive more tips to help you live a heathier and happier life, plus the latest blog updates, bonus content, and more! Theyre critical about almost everything you do. Expert Interview. 11 Easy Ways to Deal with Mean Female Coworkers - wikiHow Break down tasks into manageable steps and celebrate progress rather than focusing solely on the end result. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Their emotions (usually anger) can escalate quickly once they encounter a trigger. 3. And the worst part is, others who dont know whats going on may think youre not a team-player. When Drama Kings/Queens realize they cant easily influence your emotions with their over-the-top words and actions, theyll learn to take their theatrical performances elsewhere. Recommended Articles in Personal Development: 1. Read on for a list of ways to help you effectively deal with a difficult coworkermaking your job much more enjoyable in the process! When youre ready, Id like to share that perspective with you. And if they nod yes, proceed to give them (politely) a dose of reality. The next time someone does something that you object to, in an assertive (rather than aggressive) way, speak up. When you have to work with a Slacker, it can be tempting to just do everything yourself. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. But staying level-headed can be the key to keeping a difficult situation from escalating. What should I do if Im constantly dealing with difficult coworkers? Another communication strategy is incorporating laughter into the situation when appropriate. Meanwhile when hurtful things are said to me.. To avoid conflict and avoid potentially losing a relationship, I try to understand their emotions and perspectives, which is, again, demonstrating empathy. View your coworkers with compassion. Meredith Walters, MBA. They have a hard time managing their emotions appropriately. No matter the root cause for the behavior, experts say the key thing is not to take it personally. Not to mention, if people think you have a close relationship with a Gossiper, it can really damage your own reputation and credibility. Although it takes work, when you actively listen to someone and try to understand what they are going through, it can help to de-escalate the situation. Theyre eager to share news that may be an exaggerated version of the truth or flat-out lies, creating tension, anxiety, and fear in the workplace. And heres an article that can help you with this: How to Not Take Things So Personally. Often, if you can do that without becoming defensive, you can navigate the situation and work together. By using our site, you agree to our. However, research shows that practicing empathy can help foster a sense of connection. If there's no other option, escalate the issue to a supervisor. How can I let go of a mistake I made at work? Its important to be polite on the few occasions you speak to your coworker to maintain a positive and drama-free work environment. A person can become irritable, aggressive, intolerant, and noncommunicative for a number of both internal and external reasons, including: Author Natasha Bowman, JD, SPHR, noticed that her behavior changed as she dealt with the responses of family members and friends to her bipolar diagnosis. In the U.S., the most confusing phrases at work are: "Boiling the ocean". If their negative behaviours continue after youve told them clearly that they need to stop, then talk to HR about the issues youre having with the Diva and ask for assistance.

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