How to Work with Someone You Can’t Stand and Still be Successful

Whether it’s that annoying person who won’t stop talking, the pompous coworker who thinks they know everything, or the boss who dictates rather than leads their employees, we’ve likely all worked wih someone you can’t stand.

Maybe it’s their personality, lack of skills, or that they see things differently than you, but something about them makes it hard for you to relate to one another. So, how do you put your dissimilarities aside to work professionally with someone you dislike and ensure you stay on the track to success? By using the right methods, you can still have a valuable working relationship – even with the people you find most difficult.

Accept the fact you won’t like everyone

As much as you may want to get along with everyone you work with, the reality is, there will still be people you don’t like. Not liking someone doesn’t make you a terrible person, and honestly, it’s entirely normal. But even if you don’t care for someone, you still have to find a way to deal with them in all types of situations. Understanding that you can disagree with someone, without always having to be in the right, can help you check the emotions and personal feelings that often come with challenging relationships.

Be in control of your response

Because you can control your behavior, it’s far more beneficial for you to manage how you react to someone you find aggravating rather than concentrating on how or why the person acts the way they do. It’s easy to let your emotions take over when dealing with someone toxic, but if you sink to their level you could be seen as a person who likes to involve themselves in drama. Skip giving someone the satisfaction of responding to their chaos, and rise above the pettiness. After all, misery loves company – and who wants to be miserable?

Don’t take things personally

Oftentimes the way someone acts towards you may be because of something they’re going through privately, and not so much because of you. Be a strong problem solver with exemplary people skills by learning to be easy on the person but firm on the issue. Learning how to deal with someone you know can easily get under your skin will help you have a different outlook, which many times, helps keep you from misinterpreting things.

 

Keep your displeasure to yourself

It may be tempting to want to validate your feelings about someone by bringing other people on board the “complain train,” but do your best to avoid whining to your peers. Continually complaining about someone in your workplace can cause you to be seen as negative or unprofessional. People may even begin to label you as the difficult one. At times you need to vent, do it with someone you trust – preferably outside of work.

Offer constructive feedback 

If you’ve tried to connect with someone, but feel like you keep getting stuck, try offering your colleague some feedback you think could help them. A lot of times people do not realize how they come across to others. If you do end up having a conversation, don’t take the time to go on about everything the person does that bothers you. Instead, explain to them how some of their behaviors could be addressed to help improve their working relationship with you and others. If your message is communicated correctly and they’re willing to be receptive to your advice, you could help them become aware of things they had no idea was causing issues with others.

Knowing how to handle people you find difficult or unreasonable takes a specific skillset – one which often requires both patience and practice. However, by getting a better understanding of yourself and taking control of your own happiness, you will be able to look forward to accomplishing your goals without focusing so much on your dissatisfaction with others.

When it comes to dealing with people you can’t stand, whether at work, school, or home, find people who can help support you. Tackling difficult people or relationships on your own can be challenging. By building the right support system, you will receive the strength and courage needed to overcome any tough obstacles.

The Jobs Partnership believes we all need to be around people that can teach us, encourage us, pray for us, and support us. Joining our LifeWorks training program can help you create a support team of mentors who can help guide you to be more successful in both your career and your personal life. For more information or to apply for our no-cost 12-week course, call us at 407-641-0755 or fill out our LifeWorks application online.