Dealing with Difficult People
Monday April 17, 2006
Sometimes, work can become difficult. Co-workers, bosses, and a negative office environment can all make your job less than enjoyable. In fact, they can make work a place where you simply don't want to be. There are options for dealing with difficult people at work. It's important to try to deal with the difficult co-worker, especially if keeping your job is important to you.
Unfortunately, sometimes those options don't work and the best thing you can do is to get out of the situation. Once you have tried every option, you may need to make a decision to leave. What to do next? Don't run right into your boss's office and quit. Don't cause a ruckus and publicly display your anger at the situation. Don't do anything other than to start to put a job search plan in place. That's important, because you want to leave on your terms, at time that's right for you. You don't want to jeopardize your career because someone else is a problem.
Comments
That is exactly what I did, I took your advice. My work environment was so horrid with a negative, cursing, complaining co-worker, a new micro-managing,non-communicative manager that ignored most of us except for her favorites, which she promoted with raises. I just couldn’t function any longer in that environment. I loved the work I was doing but knew that the company was in decline, and the new manager was there to stay til the end. The urge to blast them all and quit was huge. Yet I knew the best way to solve it was to simply find a better company to respect my skills.
My search was quietly done, vacation days used to interview and my request to not notify my current employer was honored. When I had secured the new job, completed all the intake paperwork, drug screen and negotiations were complete, I gave my notice to a very surprised manager. The complaining coworker cried. Not because she was happy for me but because she continued to allow herself to be trapped.
Do not stay trapped in a bad situation. Taking control of your life when you can’t control your work environment and it is making you sick is the best medicine.
Thanks so much for sharing your success story. I’m really glad it worked out for you!
Alison
I had to hide a fall from a 10 foot ladder, withstand firing threats almost every day.-3 people were cut on flimsy ground in 1 month. I finally had enough of a moody company and a boss that was full of venom and lies.I left
Thanks, Aciana. Now I know there is hope for me as well.(I have a micro-managing supervisor and a bunch of co-workers that dislike me because I actually do “work” at Work.) Good Luck on your New and Better Job!!
I was hired as an assistant to an office manager a couple of years ago. After I accepted the job, I was told she had some “emotional problems” and I was the 4th person hired to help her in a 6 month window. The translation of “emotional problems” was just plain psychotic. She made my life a nightmare for 2 months, then she poisoned me-sending me to intensive care for 2 days and giving me permanent neurological damage. The supervisor blew it off and fired me. Lesson-no job is worth it. Leave if it’s bad. I thought I could outlast a bad situation and I haven’t been able to work since.
The bottom line is there are three choices with those difficult people at work.
1. Stay and suffer
2. Stay and work towards making changes
3. Leave
I don’t think # 1 is a viable option, but it is surprising how many feel that is their only choice.