Helpful Tips for Dealing With Difficult Coworkers

Dealing with or working with difficult coworkers is one of the most challenging circumstances an individual may confront as an employee of a company. While several factors may describe a coworker as tough for you, one that stands out is someone continually distracting you from getting actual work done. Some people may find it difficult to deal with short-tempered people, and hence, for them, they may fall in the category of difficult coworkers. Whatever your definition of ‘difficult coworkers’ is, one thing to remember is that you will have to cope with them while delivering the finest outcomes. Hence, in this podcast episode on the HBR IdeaCast channel, Amy Gallo, an editor at HBR lists out a few effective tips that may assist you in dealing with such a situation.

Amy’s first tip in the episode recommends that we remember that not everyone has the same point of view as we do. She advises being open to listening to and comprehending what others bring to the table, even if it does not align with your way of thinking. According to her, it is critical that you respect everyone’s perspective rather than making them feel judged, and that you find a way to convey it gracefully if you think their opinion to be something that may not be valuable. Moving on, she suggests a technique for coping with a situation in which you may not be able to retain your cool with the other person for long. She says that if you have to deal with really difficult coworkers, the best way to do it is to identify and discuss them with someone who may have a good or neutral opinion of them. This may give you a fresh perspective on the individual and may also help you understand why they behave in a specific manner that makes you think they are tough. Finally, she thinks that utilizing empathy might be one of the most effective strategies for coping with difficult coworkers. While it is often difficult to understand another person’s conduct at the moment, it is always prudent to take a minute to consider the pressures they may be under that may have caused them to behave in a way that made you think unfavorably of them. When you empathize with someone, you may have a better understanding of their predicament, making it simpler for you to deal with them.

Organizations offer an atmosphere in which employees must interact with employees of all attitudes and tones. One of the most challenging scenarios is having to complete tasks in an efficient manner while working with difficult coworkers before it turns into long-term conflict. As a result, being able to handle such a situation is critical. The aforementioned are a few pointers that may assist you in dealing with difficult coworkers not only effectively but also gracefully, which may be a challenging chore at times.