Handling difficult co-workers

Difficult Co-Workers: Avoid or Confront

Difficult colleagues are unavoidable at the workplace. Vinitha Ramchandani lists some universal options for dealing with difficult co-workers

    They say that there are only two things in this world you have no control over: the family into which you are born and the people you work with. As far as a family is concerned, the unconditional love and support that you receive helps you brush aside all the discomforts and incompatibilities at one go. But if you land in an organisation with shrewd co-worker/s who have decided to dislike you from the beginning- you have a potentially ugly situation at hand. 
Take the example of Preeti and Anitaco-workers and teammates. Preeti is senior in the organisation whereas Anita is a new joinee, with loads of experience. Both are great professionals; however off late Preeti has been feeling insecure and is quite vocal with her dislike. She has been stealing clients and Anita has taken notice of it. Anita's simmering rage reached its threshold one day, resulting in a public show down between the two and finally ended with her resignation. 
Many of you who are dealing or have dealt with difficult co-workers will completely empathise with Anita. Is there a better way to deal with such tricky situations? Experts say that simmering with discontentment never yields positive results. Every difficult situation warrants a different approach. Here are a few pointers that can help you sail through tricky situations with difficult people like a rude colleague, a politically correct coworker, domineering boss, a bullying client or an insecure teammate. 
Act quickly The first common trait that you will notice in difficult people is the fact that they enjoy their wicked acts. When you find that you are being treated unprofessionally, the biggest mistake of your life would be thinking that lying low or keeping out of the way will change things for the better. Confront the person as soon as possible, in the politest, but firm manner. Pre-empt the situation in your mind and rehearse if required. Think of the worse possible situation and the best way to encounter it and then make a go for it. While trashing things out with the difficult person remember to: 
Be firm: Tell the person that you want to work cordially. State what you don't like and ask if there is something that you are doing that needs to be changed. 
Be willing to accept a compromise: Bending a little to the extent that it does not harm your self esteem can make a world of a difference to your productivity. 
Be self-confident: Difficult workers are normally bullies at work. And the best way to deal with a bully is to keep up a straight face and act like a no-nonsense person. Be a professional This is an adage that you will have to translate into action. Never letting the problem bother you is a best way of dealing with it. And the quickest possible solution to this is to handle it yourself. "Most people take resort to complaining, either to their teammates or their boss, which is not advisable at all", says Paul Jacob, an HR consultant. 
It is best to avoid such negative approaches of dealing with the situation. Complaining about someone to others will quickly earn you the reputation of being the office grumbler. Badmouthing to your boss immediately will make it seem that you are not a good manager. In fact you may end up being labelled as someone who is temperamental and/or constantly embroiled in conflict. Here's a better way to handle the situation: 
Deal with the situation privately. You will only earn respect for this. 
If you are pushed to taking about it to seniors in your organisation, try to sound objective. Talk of how your productivity is being hampered at work due to your particular work environment. 
Be understanding Sometimes a difficult person is someone who is having a bad time-financial problems, marital incompatibility, health issues or a combination of all of it. Sometimes stepping in other person's shoes helps resolve many issues. Try becoming friends with that person- a change in attitude always helps. 
Sometimes a change of perspective helps. Instead of pointing fingers, do a bit of introversion. Ask yourself, 'is it only you who encounters difficult people'? If the answer is 'yes', there may be some problem in your attitude. Be open to accept and make changes in your working style. Ask yourself if you are a team person or if you tend to dominate at work. An understanding of yourself may be a beginning of a new work scenario. 
Take help 
Sometimes all attempts to diffuse the bad work situation may not help. In that case take help of a neutral person who has a good sense of judgement. Be prepared to hear that the faults like in you. Be open to make changes that the person suggests. 
Move! If you've tried everything and you still have to deal with an unprofessional person, then it's time to talk to your boss and your organisation's HR personnel, advices Riddhi Desai an HR professional. "Inform your immediate superior of your need to relocate within the organisation and take it to your HR department. Rest assured that no organisation wishes to loose good resources due to an unhealthy workplace situation," informs Desai.


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