It’s one thing having to deal with a difficult person in your personal life. I mean after all you can just cut them out and have nothing to do with them. But dealing with someone who is nothing, but a royal pain in the butt at work is a totally different matter. Working with someone who is difficult can be a real nightmare and make you just dread the thought of going to work each day. Rather than punching them in the face and lose your job, try some of these ideas to deal with that difficult work colleague.
Cool Down
If you knew me personally, you would know me telling you to be cool when you have been offended, stabbed in the back or just generally disrespected is very ironic. My and I am sure many of you guys reading this first reaction is to just blow a gasket and deal with the problem that way. This 99/100 is the worst thing you can do, as more often than not you will be the one who comes across bad to the people above you and the others you work with. Before you deal with any situation make sure you are as level headed and not overly emotional before you do.
Do Something About Them
I am not talking about taking them into the woods and making them disappear. although that does sound appealing, I am joking by the way. But as easy as you may think it is to just let them get on with it and not make an issue of it, the fact is more often than not it will only get worse and worse. And not just for you, but other people that also have to work with this person. At some point you are going to have to make it a point to deal with this person to put a stop to their difficult behavior. You should not have to walk on egg shells every day at work.
Do Not Bad Mouth Them
As tempting as it may be to vent in the break room to your other colleagues about how this person is driving you crazy, never get into this side of office politics . It makes you just as bad as them and without a shadow of a doubt, it will get back to the person that you were talking about them which can make things even worse and make you seem like a person who cannot be trusted. Rather than venting to others check out our next point below.
Talk To Them Directly
Rather than going straight to you manage or whatever. You may want to pull them to the side and just ask them if there is some kind of problem that they have with you. Or if they are doing something that just annoys the hell out of you, ask them to stop. Do not be rude or aggressive, but at the same time be direct and confident when you speak to them to let them know that while you are asking them, you are no longer willing to accept their behavior in the work place. As uncomfortable as it may be, you simply must deal with this head on.
Move On One Issue Is Resolved
As hard as it may be, once it has all been out in the open and you have made your feelings clear to this person, if they make an effort to either avoid you or stop doing the things you asked them to do, then you need to be the bigger person and move on from your grievances that you had. It’s all in the past and now you can move on and get on with your work day.