Have you ever met someone who frustrates you so
much that you feel like you're going to pull your hair, jump around the room
and just shout loudly, ' I'm not pleased to work with you! ' You're not alone. I used to be concerned about
such circumstances years ago. "Why are these people so hard?"
"These people are so irresponsible!" "Just my luck working with
them" or "I don't want to work with them again!” After a while, I learned
that these people are everywhere. No matter where you go, you can never hide
from them. Even if you change the job, you will find this type of person in
your new environment.
Difficult personalities come in all shapes and
sizes. They can be quite indirect, non-verbal, or appear as though everything
is fine, such as a passive-aggressive employee, or very “in-your-face”,
attacking and explicit. Many would be surprised to know that it isn’t inevitably
the less productive people that have difficult personalities. Very successful
workers are also prone to personality traits that cause barriers, conflicts and
a lack of synergy within an organization. Dealing with difficult personalities
at work is something everyone can relate to but perhaps one of the hardest
things to overcome. So, let’s get the ball rolling: how do I handle a difficult
personality at work?
The
Office Gossip
Just stay out of it. Don’t entertain the gossip
when they are looking for an ear to listen, don’t share anything you’ve heard,
and don’t give them any information you don’t want to get out to the whole
office. Just steer clear and play it safe.
The
Control Freak
To make things easier for yourself, try giving
them clear, detailed reports and updates on projects. Avoid any ambiguity that
may cause them to feel the need to tighten the reigns and get over-involved.
Also, when possible, let go of control on projects that don’t mean as much to
you. It might make your life easier and may mean more to them to have control.
The
Blame Shifter
Try to clearly discuss the details of the project, for example, who is responsible for what, what the deliverables are,
and when they are due. That way, it is evident when they are slacking. If the situation does arise that you were involved in, the fastest way to disarm the
Blamer Shifter is by taking responsibility for your mistakes before they can
use them against you. Most of your
coworkers will respect your ability to acknowledge your shortcomings and the
Blamer Shifter will be all out of ammo.
The
Narcissist
Narcissists are self-driven and motivated by
their personal goals. They can be quality teammates when they believe it is in
their best interests. No matter what you choose to do, be realistic about what
to expect from this person. Do not try to change them, force them to see their
errors, or expect something different from them just because they rub you the
wrong way. Accept the reality and work accordingly.
The workplace inevitably consists of people of
differing personalities. Sometimes this results in smooth sailing; sometimes
not. Nobody wants to work in a company that has a toxic work environment. Working
with difficult people isn't something anyone enjoys, but it’s probably
something you’ll have to face at some point. When it comes to dealing with difficult
coworkers, it's important to remember that “fighting fire with fire” is never a
good idea. Often it just causes even more work stress. So, take a smart
strategy to handle them.
