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How to deal with difficult coworkers at work can be excruciating and energy sapping. This video describes 6 tips you can begin to use today to deal with difficult coworkers. The last tip, I have found to be especially useful so watch the video to the end, and also to listen to the examples I described in each tip.
You can read the summary below to get the tips that would help you to communicate with them if you are unable to watch at this time but make sure to watch later to get the full gist.
There are times you meet one or two people who you don't get along with. This person is the opposite of you in every single way, and you are always clashing. You think about how you would get along with that person daily. In fact, you might be thinking of quitting your job because this person is just getting on your last nerve.
If you are one who is thinking of quitting because of someone you don't get along with, ask yourself this question - what if you get to another job and you find someone that's even worse than the person you quit your old job for, what would you do then? So before considering quitting your job, learn how to deal with difficult coworkers at work using the tips below.
How To Deal With Difficult Coworkers At Work
1. Know Your Value and Be Confident.
First of all, know your value and be Confident in yourself. Demonstrate your skill, don't do things because of others. Simply do what you're good at. So you need to demonstrate your value, you need to sit at the table, you need to keep engaged. You need to do everything you can to make sure everyone you work with sees your value. When you focus on delivering value, it takes your mind of that person.
2. Understand Who You Are.
You need to know your personality. Know what you like, and what you don't like. Now, think about what that person does that gets you upset. What is it about that person you don't like? There would be one or two things you don't like that the person does repeatedly. Then see how you can make that situation better.
In most cases, when there's a difficulty between you and someone else, it's because of a difference in personality. For example, you have someone who's tranquil upset with somebody who's boisterous. You have someone that is detail oriented working with someone that likes to do things on the fly. When you have these differences, and you are forced to work together, it can result in conflicts. So if you know your personality, and you know how you like people to communicate with you, help that other person communicate with you better.
3. Speak Out When You Don't Like Something.
This connected to what I explained above. Express your displeasure. Just speak your mind! If you're someone that doesn't like being crowded in your own space. Let people know when they come to you. If someone always storms into your office and you don't like it, tell that person what you would prefer. For example, I know you've got a great idea, I can't get your ideas if you come to me this way and I don't like it. I'd prefer for you to send me an email to schedule a time where I can give you my complete attention to talk about your idea. Just speak out when you dislike something!
4. Understand The Other Person's Personality.
Now you know yourself, you have to realize that the other person has a personality too. You must be ready to compromise, especially if you're coming from totally opposite ends of a personality trait.
For example, you have someone that likes to bounce off ideas with you all the time. When they have an idea they are running right to your office, or they pick up the phone to call you and you are not that kind of person. Don't get offended when that person comes to you, redirect that person to come at a better time in a pleasant way.
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5. Focus On The Message.
You need to learn to focus on the message when communicating with other people, especially those whose communication style and personality are so different from yours.
For example, you have this person who you know has a boisterous personality, don't be offended by their style. When they start talking, don't look at them awkwardly thinking about why they can't calm down to speak, or why they are always overexcited. Focus on what they have to say and let them be. Really, if you want people to allow you to be yourself, let others be themselves too.
6. Get The Perspective Of Your Other Coworkers.
When you find it difficult to get along with a coworker at work, seek the perspective of other people that have worked with that person. Find out what they have done that helped them. What are they doing that makes it easier for them to communicate with this person that you're not doing?
There are two advantages to seeking other people's perspective. The first one is it gives you feedback on your thought process. It would expose whether it is your weakness primarily or the other person's. If it is yours then you would know you have to work on yourself, If it is the other person, you can find out tips to better interact with that person.
So I hope these tips would help you know how to deal with that difficult coworker at work better. Write down in the comment which tip you feel would work for you the most, or which one you are going to try to do and let me know how that goes when you do try it out.