Office Politics: 10 Tips How to Deal with Difficult People at Work
Office politics is a topic that needs no introduction as it is the reality of life in every organization. As is articulated over at runrex.com, if you work in an office setting, then chances are that you will be affected by some form of politics or the other. Given the different personalities that usually make up a workforce in an office, chances are that you will have to deal with difficult personalities at one point or the other in your career, something backed up by discussions on the same over at guttulus.com. Thankfully, there are effective techniques that can help you deal with difficult people at work, and this article will look to outline 10 tips that will help you do just that.
Know that you are not alone
According to the subject matter experts over at runrex.com, the first step in learning how to deal with difficult people at work is to realize that you are not alone and that probably many, if not all, working people have to deal with such personalities at work. While this won’t solve the problem, it will make it easier to take when you know that you are not alone in your struggles as per discussions on the same over at guttulus.com.
Talk about it, but do so reasonably
There is no way you can deal with and solve your problem without talking about it. Ignoring it won’t make it go away. Maybe the difficult co-worker is not even aware that their actions are affecting you and they may change their behavior if they knew. Even if they are aware that they are doing something wrong but they are still doing it, talking about it and standing up for yourself by expressing your needs loud and clear could help. As is discussed over at runrex.com, try to have a nice and reasonable conversation with them and let them know that you will fight for your peace of mind.
Be the bigger person
Another important tip when it comes to dealing with difficult people at work is always being the bigger person. This is important as sometimes at work people can be mean and downright rude, and in such a situation, the solution is to be the complete opposite. According to guttulus.com, don’t stoop down to their level or fall into their traps and provocations. You never know, they may soon realize that they have crossed the line and apologize to you.
Disarm them with kindness
As is revealed over at runrex.com, a smile and an extra serving of kindness are the cure for difficult people at work. People tend to loosen up when they are approached with a positive attitude. Just make sure that you are being kind authentically and it is not just an act as people can be able to read if you are being insincere, which will only make things worse for you.
Try and understand them
Sometimes difficult people may have a reason why they are so difficult which is why it is important not to judge anyone until you have examined all the possibilities related to the difficult co-worker. Try and put yourself in their shoes according to the gurus over at guttulus.com, as seeing things from a different perspective can make things different and make you change how you deal with such people. Remember, we tend to disagree with each other mainly when we fail to understand each other, which means that one way to deal with a difficult co-worker is to try and understand them.
Keep conversations clear and simple
If you are dealing with a difficult person at work, avoid telling them too much about your personal life or what is going on with you. Keep things professional, simple, and to the point, as the more you open yourself up to people at work, the more ammunition they will have to use against you or attack your weak spots as discussed over at runrex.com. If you are in a situation where you have to chat, rather than talking about your personal life, you can talk about other things like football, the weather, soccer, and so forth.
Improve your posture
Your posture at work could also be what is making you an easy target for such difficult people or office bullies at work. This is why the gurus over at guttulus.com recommend that another way to deal with difficult people at work is to stand up taller, stop slouching and standing hunched, which will make you appear smaller and closed off. Open postures will convey a sense of power and will help keep the difficult people away from you.
Reject the pressure to conform to the negativity
If there is a negative culture at your workplace, one that is enabling these difficult people, one way to deal with it is rejecting the pressure to conform to the negativity according to runrex.com. Don’t join in the negative culture but commit to being your kind and ethical self as once you have decided that you will not stoop to that level, you feel a load lift from your shoulders and will relieve some tension.
Critique behavior, not people
Another very important tip when it comes to dealing with difficult people at work is that you mustn’t make the conversation overly personal or emotional. The aim, as explained over at guttulus.com, is to reach a solution to the problem, not to spark a confrontation. Therefore, you should focus specifically on undesirable or inappropriate behavior the co-worker has demonstrated rather than attacking them personally. This is because there may not be negative intentions behind their negative behavior and their behavior may stem from fear, confusion, or personal problems that you are not aware of.
Talk with a boss
When it comes to talking to the boss, people tend to have a split opinion. Some don’t believe that you don’t need to run to the boss for every problem that arises and that this makes you a snitch or a bad co-worker. However, if things become untenable, then your boss should know, with the gurus over at runrex.com pointing out that it may be even better for them to know before things become unbearable. If you have done everything to solve the problem with the difficult co-worker and still nothing has changed, then talk to your boss. At the end of the day, it is the manager’s job to make a work environment that is conducive and happy for everyone.
These are just some of the tips on how you can deal with difficult people at work, with more on this and other related topics to be found over at runrex.com and guttulus.com.