How do you deal with a co-worker who does not have tact?

Question

One of my co-workers has no tact. She constantly says that I have caused problems in the work that she is doing. She says this in front of my boss.

I am actually training her to do my job and she says that I am wrong in what I tell her. She does this to others also.

I just ignore it, but may say something soon if she continues to do this.

Is it right for co-workers to disrespect you like this?

Answer 1

She may think that you're trying to sabotage her, by training her to do the job wrong. Some people are very insecure and think everyone is out to get them. She may be one of them. If you are secure in the fact that you are doing things the right way and you have your boss' support, than I would just ignore her.

Answer 2

It sounds like she is one if those people who think they are right about everything. If you are training her to do your job I am assuming you are moving on. Express your concerns to the boss & do your job by training her & going where you will go. It's disrespectful but how you choose to react can be seen the same way. As part of her training you can have her read the company's policies and procedures and place emphasis on the chain of command. If she continues to challenge you and others she may have difficuly working under people and if this is required for the job she will have to adapt or risk failure. Your boss knows you did that job well - that's why you are training her in the first place. Remember that not everyone is good at everything - find her strengths & draw on that.

Answer 3

no is not right for co-workers to be disrespectfully,
first thing you have to do is tell her very calmly and with a good example the way she's been perceived by other, the way she's acting... also tell her when she start telling you that you are wrong during training stop her and let her now shes there to learn but if she feels that you aren't teaching the correct way or that she actually knows the job already, then you both can go to your boss or the one that put her in that training position and you guys can discuss her progress and then you tell it like it is...

Answer 4

Heres a way to resolve this conflict.
Ask the manager to sit in with you and her while you professionally work out your differences. She states her case first, and then you respond.
You could start with a statment like this:
Jane, I sense you are not happy with the way I am training you. I would like to hear your reasons so that we could work this out.

Be prepared ahead of time with your answers. Think of all the things she might say.

This works wonders too, because by involving the manager, he is now aware of the problem and can help both of you resolve it.

Be top notch professional about it too. This kind of thinking makes workers into managers! It shows you want to work out any problem and have the ability to do it with out emotion.

The goal is to keep peace and resolve conflict without getting ourselves emotionally involved. Getting emotionally involved will cause you to look silly, and might stop you from advancing.

Answer 5

Sounds to me like there's a little more to this than tactlessness. She's trying to undercut you to your boss.

Some people try to make themselves look smarter by finding fault with other people and picking apart their work.

Next time she sabotages you, ask her calmly and politely, "What about [this process] is it that you think is incorrect? Can you explain, please?"

Then, when she comes up with some minor criticism, or nothing valid at all, smile and say, "Oh, I see. You must have misunderstood what I told you. I've been doing this for so long that it's second nature. Here, let me help you."

This way, the emphasis is shifted from your "not doing it right" to her inability to process instructions.

Next, "help" her by explaining the procedure in such excruciating detail that she can't fail to miss it. If you do this painstakingly and thoroughly, you may be able to give her so MUCH information that she learns to leave you alone.

I have used this strategy at my own job. If a known troublemaker asks me one question that's designed to make me look bad, I answer not only that question, thoroughly and correctly, but supply the details to ten more.

The major troublemakers at my job have pretty much learned to leave me alone.

The trick to this is to remain pleasant and cheerful, so that you can't be accused of being unhelpful, but to make sure that every time someone tries to trip you up, particularly in front of other people, that you bury them in so much "help" that it's not worth their time to hassle you, especially if the tables are turned to make them look foolish. They'll soon find another target.

Answer 6

It's usually a good idea to treat others the way you want to be treated but in some situations it may be more beneficial to you to treat her the way she treats you. You can take her aside and tell her how you feel but if that doesn't work it is time to take the gloves off or sharpen the claws. Some people only respond to negativity. She may be one of those people. Good luck.