I always thought I knew {how to approach} difficult coworkers. But {there is} one incident that made me {actually want to} figure it out.
It was {years back}, and I {had a need to} help a co-worker finish a project that:
- He was leading
- Would help my team
“Sure,” I said. “Just find me tomorrow and I’ll {demonstrate} how to {take action}.”
Well, tomorrow came and went – and he NEVER found me.
Later, when he was asked {concerning the} project, he just sighed and said it didn’t get done. {He then} {considered} me and asked {easily} {may help} him later with the project.
“Dude, {you’re} {likely to} find me,” I told him sharply.
“{I understand},” he said. “I was busy. Sometimes {if you would like} someone to {take action}, {you need to} {exceed} and beyond.”
So I exploded.
“Listen, {if you want} my help, {you have to|you should} find ME – not {another} way around.”
Then he said something I’ll {remember}. “Technically, you’re right. {Nevertheless, you} {need to} decide {if you wish to} be right or {if you would like} this {to obtain} done.”
So that got me thinking…is he right? Should my stake in the project have dictated how I should’ve handled {the problem}? Or was {my pal} just {being truly a} jackass?
I thought I knew {the proper} answer, but {I needed} {to place} it to my readers first: What {can you} {did} in {this example}? Can you {learn to|figure out how to|discover ways to} {cope with} difficult coworkers without confrontation?
The answers {I acquired} back were insightful and funny. {I wish to|I would like to} share {those hateful pounds} with you today, and {let you know} what {I believe} I should {did}.
How {to cope with} Difficult Coworkers {instantly}:
Co-worker help advice #1: Hindsight is a 20/20
Ha! {I really like} it. Hindsight is 20/20. {Nevertheless, you} can still learn {something} or two by looking back though – {which explains why} {I really like} Andre’s calendar suggestion. IWT readers {understand that} my days are dictated {with what} is and what isn’t on my calendar (see my full productivity system post here). Having {this} on my calendar after he asked {could have} saved us both {lots of|plenty of} frustration {down the road} (and avoided the confrontation).
Need {to locate a} way to {home based}? Download my {Back again to} Top
Co-worker help advice #2: Take the initiative
When my co-worker {explained} that I had to go “{far beyond}” {to greatly help} him out, I was pissed. {Although it} was infuriating, {I believe} Ed is right in saying {I will} {took} the initiative and {raised} the meeting. {In the end}, my team was benefitting {out of this} project {just as much as} my co-worker was.
Bottom line: Sometimes {to understand} how to {be considered a} better co-worker {you need to} pick up {a few of the} slack yourself.
Need {to locate a} way to {make money} without leaving {your home}? {Have a look at} my free {Back again to} Top
Co-worker help advice #3: {Setup|Create} boundaries
I {THINK IT’S GREAT}. There’s no limit to {how much cash} {you can generate} BUT {there exists a} finite {period of time} {you need to} spend. {Therefore}, {your time and effort} is incredibly valuable. Why {can you} {desire to} waste it on {a person who|somebody who} forgets their appointments with you? Clearly, they don’t value {your time and effort} or {recognize that} it’s important.
Having {several} {blast of} income {will help you} through tough economic times. {Learn to|Figure out how to|Discover ways to} start {making profits} {privately} with my FREE {Back again to} top
Co-worker help advice #4: He’s {being truly a} jerk…but that’s not the point
I agree. It’s my duty as a leader for my team to {venture out} and {ensure that|be sure that} the guy got his project finished. {Even though} he’s in {the incorrect} (and {he could be}) {I will} {took} more initiative in seeing the project through. {This way} I could {assist in} supporting my colleagues {at work}.
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Co-worker help advice #5: Be Blunt
Simple. Honest. To-the-point. {I REALLY LIKE} IT.
Though I’m sure there’s {a far more} nuanced strategy {on how best to} {cope with} difficult coworkers out there….
Bonus: {In the event that you} {would like to} stop {coping with} your coworkers forever, download my Ultimate Guide to {Working at home}. I’ll {demonstrate} {steps to make} {working at home} {do the job}.
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Bonus Advice: What {I will} have done {to greatly help} my co-worker
Like many readers said, hindsight {could be} incredibly enlightening. That’s why {I’d} {took} measures {to make sure} a situation {such as this} NEVER happened {to begin with} through habit building systems.
My favorite one? Using my calendar.
I practically dictate my day-to-day goals by one mantra: If it’s not on my calendar, it doesn’t exist.
Look {as of this} one item:
This {is really a} random to-do that {I’d} normally {devote} {the trunk} of my head… {also it} would never {have finished}. Instead, I added it to my calendar {so that it} always gets done.
It {may seem} anal retentive. {It could} seem absolutely crazy. {Nonetheless it} WORKS.
Instead of letting {my pal} “come find me,” {I’d} have scheduled {amount of time in} my day {to utilize} him. {This way}, {once the} notification came {through to} my calendar, I knew to go remind him that I {would} help him {feel the} project.
Don’t {misunderstand me}: {It had been} still incredibly frustrating {to listen to} {my pal} say that {I will} {reach} out to him, {however in} {the finish}, my team benefitted {as a result} and my company {could have} {aswell}. Sometimes, your worst enemy {can be your} ego. {You need to} leave it at {the entranceway} {if you need to|in order to} {have the ability to} effectively accomplish {your targets}.
Advanced tip: {It is possible to} {setup|create} weekly, monthly, and quarterly “to-dos” for {things such as} reviewing your systems, planning an annual negotiation, {as well as} checking in {on your own} relationship.
Also {make sure to} {have a look at} my 15-minute video below where I {breakdown} the 5 {most typical} productivity mistakes. It’ll {assist you to} {have the ability to} {make use of the} time you {reserve} to accomplish {your targets} effectively.
Build habits that last
If you’re like my co-worker, {additionally you} {battle to} build solid habits and accomplish even {the easiest} of goals – {which explains why} I {come up with} {the most effective} material on setting goals, creating habits that stick, and getting back {on the right track} {should anyone ever} fall off.
If you’re {prepared to} stop making excuses, {use} {of this} rut, and {create a} major change {that you experienced}, this free guide is {for you personally}.
Take {a glance at} what’s inside:
- How to {awaken} productive {and obtain} more done by noon than {a lot of people} do {all day long} (covered {partly} 2)
- “{EASILY} wasn’t so lazy, I’d ____.” I’ll {educate you on} {how exactly to} keep accomplishing goals {even though} you “don’t {feel just like} it” (covered {partly} 3)
- Ever spent a busy day {filled up with} distractions – answering emails and putting out fires – and walked away feeling {as if you} finished nothing? I’ll {demonstrate} {how exactly to} stay laser-focused on tasks and eliminate distractions (covered {partly} 6)
This guide includes HD videos, downloadable worksheets, lessons from the world’s leading experts on behavioral change, {and far}, {a lot more}.
So {take a look}. {Try} the techniques. {And revel in} the results {you obtain} for {the others} {you will ever have}.