How do you deal with difficult co-workers?

Question

I am a very Happy-Go-Lucky person. I'm always positive, smiling and energetic. Unfortunately for me I have an egotistical older gentleman that I work with as well his nit picking, control freak wife and my other co-worker is a moody, snappy girl my age. How do I deal with them? I've been here 6 months the other 3 about 2 years. I love my job/boss/other co-workers but man it really gets me upset the way these 3 people act. I don't look forward to seeing them or if I'm in a good mood they manage to piss me off. Do I leave or stay?

Answer 1

I deal with difficult co-workers the same way I deal with difficult people, I ignore them. When you can do that, you will rise above their pettiness and egos. You shouldn't let only 3 people ruin your day at your job. Stick with your friends and the co-workers you get along with. When dealing with the difficult ones, just smile and do your job the best you can, knowing that will "bug" them, especially if they are trying to 'push your buttons" Some people live ONLY to make others as miserable as they are. If you are happy, that bugs them and they don't want you to be happy. Keep that in mind when you have to interact with them. Just stay happy and keep smiling and just do what you are supposed to. They will either go away and "pick" on someone else, or they will turn around and become more friendlier to you.

There is no place that will be perfect, you will always have at least ONE difficult person to deal with. Good Luck.

Answer 2

Feel free to look for work, but don't leave until you've at least tried to deal with these blockheads. You'll find work again, but there may be other blockheaded co-workers at your new place. And it sounds like they're the only ones ruining your job.

Try ignoring them, and if that doesn't work, talk to your boss or confront them yourself. If you do confront them, make sure you say the problem is with their behavior, not with them. And do it just after they've done the offensive behavior. You don't have to make the confrontation angry or hysterical -- just tell them your concerns the best you can. Your anger probably would provoke their anger.

You never know why co-workers act the way they do. Maybe there are problems at home, or maybe something's wrong with their health. Or, maybe they're just blockheads.

Answer 3

Stay - the people you don't like seem to be the minority - I mean you only dislike 2, think yourself lucky at my job there's about 10 people who I can't stand. Plus you like your job and there's no guarantee that at another employer you will be happy there. I say have as little interaction as possible with these 2 and when you do have to deal with them just psyche yourself up and pretend like you're an actor - put a 'false' smile on your face, switch that switch off that lets you get annoyed and act out whatever you have to knowing that it will be over soon. You can never change other people but you can change how you let them affect you, so rise above it and hang on in there.

Answer 4

Use any or all of these ideas. Not just because she is your manager, but because I think everyone would like to be treated like this. Her actions show me that she does not feel she is getting the respect she feels she deserves. It is how she feels, not what is actually happening. I had a bosses like that and thanks to my old time manners we got on very well and he was hell on others. A boss wants to know that you know they are the boss in a lot of different ways. when she talks to you, you must give her your 100 percent undivided attention. No looking around when she speaks etc. Face her and make good eye contact. Lean ever so slightly toward her when she speaks, showing you have full interest in what she is saying. I worked in my own office and when my boss came in I always got up from my chair or if I was up, walked to where the boss was and greeted him. You must show there is nothing more important than the boss at the moment. Never under any circumstances interrupt what the boss is saying, if you have any questions wait. What goes over very well if your boss has given you instructions or passed any information to you is to sum up what the boss has said . Only a quick brief summation is need to let the boss know you have been listening and understand. Also office or workplace politics can sometimes be a dirty business. I advise never to criticize her or anyone in management even on breaks etc. For two reasons, whoever you are talking about may only hear a few innocent words and get the wrong idea, or there is always a snitch in the crowd that wil rat people out to the boss to gain favor. This is hard to do when everyone else is complaining but you can't join in. I worked in a job for 40 years and never had any trouble with bosses while many other people did, thanks to my Dad who told me how to behave when I was a kid. From time to time I used to get questions from my fellow workers about what they thought my somewhat old fashioned behavior was weird, like the standing up thing. I used to say, it works for me and it works for the boss, who gets the grief from the boss, me or you, and who signs my paycheck.?

Answer 5

Ignore them. There are all kinds of people out there. Some people don't like to click and some people don't click with you. You are graceful to say hi to them and it'll work for the whole day.

If they happen to be your supervisor or upper management people, you just take it easy as a growing process. Block it behind of you head and move on. They might leave the company before you or vice versa.

Monsters are ubiquitous, there is no guarantee you next job is a utopia. Keep yourself open is always a smart thing to do.

However, your happy personality should stay with you!

Answer 6

If you have another job opportunity, then leave as soon as possible. Is true that you will find, very probably, other people maybe with a worse attitude. But at least they will be other people, and you will have some diversity. If you stay where you are now, your smile will end, and that will be a crime. Trust me, 6 month for those people to keep their bad attitude, is to much, they might have some problems, and that is not your fault.

Answer 7

If you want to leave because you can't deal with the personality idiosyncrasies at your workplace, I would think twice about it. No matter what job you have, you will ALWAYS encounter people/co-workers with whom you won't click, but that's where communication skills and intepersonal skills come in. To be a true leader, you need to learn how to deal with all sorts of people and make it work. That's the key to your survival and success.

Answer 8

I deal with it everyday. Except I work with plp who have been in the same job for 20 plus years. I just be myself and I go with the flow. Once in awhile I look for other jobs. Just keep your eyes open and don't trust anyone.
Stay for now, especially if you have bills to pay and just slowly look for another job. Don't Worry! If being yourself doesn't work then change into what fits best in the work life style you can always try to be the bitchy annoying one. Don't do anything stuipd to lose your job.
Keep looking for a new job.
I have yet to find the "PERFECT" job and the "PERFECT" place to work.
Good Luck! HTH!

Answer 9

You do your work, they do their work. Just don't get interference in their jobs or try to make friend with them. If you are lucky, you get a friendly working environment. If not, you are fine. Don't quit your job if you like it.

I am in the same situation as you are. I like my work, and my boss is really nice to me. That is all I need, and I ignore all other co-workers.

Answer 10

I had people like that in my office too. I only do business with them. I don't have ANY type of conversation with them unless it is about business. I don't share my weekends or my personal life with them, just work.

So, if you can, avoid any outside conversation with them other than work directly. Be professional with them when conducting business though. But keep you thoughts and gossip to closer friends/co-workers than them.

Good luck! Office politics are tough, but they'll help you grow.