How To Deal With Difficult People At Work

In an office, you encounter a lot of different people. You become friends with some of them, admire some and regard some as nice colleagues. However, there is another section of people, those you find difficult to tolerate and being civilized with whom demands much of your patience. In an office, you have to cooperate with everyone, even those whom you don’t like at all, in order to be productive. So, it is better to lean a few tricks that will help you in dealing with difficult people. It will not only make your work more enjoyable, but also calm down your blood pressure. Read on to know how to deal with difficult people at work!

Chatterer

Let’s ‘start the conversation’ by talking about the most sociable person in the office - the chatterbox. That person is quite friendly and was probably the first person that made you feel at ease in the office. The only problem is that his/her chatter sometimes interferes with your work too much. Since such a colleague is usually harmless, it is best to be polite. Just tell him/her that you love to hear her talk, but the problem is that you have poor concentration and the engaging conversation seems to take you completely off your work.

Big Mouth

The big mouth of the office is often disliked, yet courted, by people. This is because almost everyone wants to listen to other’s gossip, but don’t want themselves to be talked about. Talking to such a colleague is not bad, since he/she will tell you about all the recent happenings in office. The problem is that the gossip is never fully true. So, it is advisable to listen to the big mouth, but not be affected by the gossip and never ever offer your own views. At the same time, if the gossip is about someone’s personal problems, it is better to ignore.

Whiner

So you have come across the whiner, who feels that things never go right in his/her life. If it’s not his/her personal life, it’s the office environment or the boss or the colleagues, and so on. Though the problems might be genuine also, the too much complaining puts you off. Most of the time, such a person never looks for advice. All he/she wants is an outlet to let off the steam. It is better to change the subject subtly, whenever the whiner starts the long list of complaints. Make sure that this doesn’t sound too obvious.

Shirker

In every office, you will definitely find people who try to give as much of their work to their colleagues, as possible. In a team, sharing work is a very common phenomenon and you should be willing participate in it. But, if you already have your hands full, it will be almost impossible to do other people’s work. Especially if your colleague is one of those who do not want to do work, even if they can do it, it is better to politely turn down the request. Tell them that the boss has already given you much work to do.

Credit Grabber

Credit Grabber is a person who takes helps from others, but never acknowledges their contribution. Such a person always tries to take the sole credit for a work that involves a group. If by any chance, you happen to work with such a person, politely mention that he/she forgot to tell about your contribution, especially if it has happened for the first time. In case it happens, again, take it upon yourself to make others aware of your part in the project. In the end, try to avoid working with such a person as much as you can.

Aggressive People

You will find many aggressive people in your office and it is better if you know how to handle them. Whenever they explode, they expect people to either retreat or get angry. The best option will be do none of these things. Just let such a person say whatever he wants to say and to let off his steam. After he/she has cooled down a bit and has become normal, give your own views, politely but firmly.

Mocker

A mocker is an individual who loves taking potshots at others. Funny put-downs, sarcastic comments, critical looks and cynical undertones are some of the usual tricks used by such people to make others feel insulted. The problem with such people is that the moment you accuse them of laughing at you, they will reply back something like ‘I was just joking’. The best way to deal with such people is to say something like, ‘I didn’t think that was funny!’ or ‘Do I look amused?’ while smiling all the while.

General Guidelines

• Never be rude or aggressive with troublesome people, it will only make matters worse.

• Never ever try to change such people. You will only tire yourself, since trying will lead to no result.

• Try to ignore difficult people as much as you can. It is one of the best ways to deal with them.

• If things get out of hand, it is better to approach your senior and let him know all about the problem. However, keep this as the last resort.