Difficult People
"Jean" had been battling with an executive secretary at admin meetings but felt ambushed the morning she was accused of timecard fraud.
Las Vegas—Issuing snap judgments of those who annoy or irritate you adds to the stress you experience, argues Richard Carlson, author of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work (Hyperion).
Q. I’m training a new team member, and every time I clarify or correct something she has done, she immediately becomes defensive and short with me. How should I give her direction so it doesn’t spark a defensive reaction? What should I do when she reacts that way?
If somebody at work—a co-worker, a vendor, even the boss—continually gets under your skin, you have no one to blame but yourself, says business relationships trainer Marlene Chism.
Showing consideration for your co-workers isn’t merely polite. Those surveyed for the staffing firm Office Angels said they’re more likely to help considerate co-workers, and that those colleagues are more deserving of promotion than annoying office mates. What are the top irritating behaviors?
People who interrupt when you speak don’t simply annoy; they block your ideas and opinions. Exert authority with these techniques
If co-workers’ bad attitudes create tension, protect yourself from those office toxins.
You’ve scrupulously avoided office gossip, but that isn’t protecting you from being the subject of this week’s chitchat. Wanting to jump quickly to your own defense is a normal reaction, but it might exacerbate the situation. Follow these steps to salvage your reputation and stop the gossip.
When a conflict with someone makes it hard to complete your job, you have five options to reach a resolution. The problem? We regularly rely on one or two options rather than using the best option for that particular situation. Defaulting to our favorite tactic instead of being flexible makes us less effective. Here are the five ways to respond to conflict and how to figure out which tactic to employ…
