Dealing with difficult co-workers can have several negative effects on your career and your health.
People who purposely (not always though) make your job more demanding create excess stress that can lead to hypertension and, eventually, serious heart conditions. Bad co-workers also tend to stand in your way of getting your job done to the best of your abilities. This limits your career mobility and can prevent you from getting the success you deserve.
There are several effective ways to deal with difficult co-workers that can help you to deal with a situation, patch up a disagreement, or simply get on with your job. Sometimes it takes a lot of willpower to avoid confrontation, but it can be worth it when the result could be that you become your difficult co-worker’s manager and decide their career fate.
Avoid That Co-Worker
If you are dealing with a difficult co-worker that is not in your department and not a part of what you do, then simply walk away from that co-worker and ignore them. When you do not rely on someone to get your job done, then you can do whatever is needed to limit your contact with them and get back to doing your job.
Set The Criteria For Interaction
The Today Show reminds us that we are in control of our work habits and we should exert that control with difficult co-workers. For example, if you have a co-worker that likes to linger and just visit you at your office or cubicle, make time for them but then remind them that you have to get back to work in two minutes. If you have an important meeting to go to, then go to your meeting or remind the lingering co-worker that you will be leaving your office to go to that meeting. This allows the co-worker to say what is on their mind, but still allows you to get your work done.
Find Underlying Causes For Bad Behavior
While it is not your job to be the office psychologist, you still need to find ways to deal with a bad co-worker that are constructive to both of you. Instead of getting into a confrontation with a bad co-worker, you can address the issue directly by asking why their behavior is so negative. Do they not like you? Are they under stress from their manager? Is there a situation they are involved in that angers them and they just take it out on you? Find out the cause of the conflict and you may be able to come up with a way to turn a bad co-worker into a valuable ally.
Going To Management
No one wants to be that person who complains to management about a bad co-worker, but everyone has their limits. If you are being prevented from doing your job and you have tried everything you can think of to diffuse the situation, then it is time to go to your manager in confidence and get an official resolution to the situation.
Sandbox Advisors has professionals on staff who can advise you on the best way to handle difficult co-workers and get the most out of your career. Give us a call and we will help you to put together a career plan that will remove all of the obstacles in your path, including belligerent office mates.