Tips for Getting Adhead At Work With Annoying Co-workers

Tips to Make Working With an Annoying Co-Worker a Little Less...Annoying

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

I absolutely love my job, but some of my co-workers drive me nuts! There's one in particular who I have to work very closely with and then he's always inviting me to lunch and to hang out after work. Sometimes I just want to snap and scream at him, but I can't because it's important that we work as a team and cooperate. I don't want to lose my cool or get fired. What can I do to make working with him a little bit easier?

Sincerely,

Can't Handle My Co-Worker

A:

Dear Can't Handle My Co-Worker, 

There's nothing worse than an annoying person, except one that you have to work closely with every day. Most people know what it's like to work with an annoying co-worker, but do you know how you can make the situation a little more bearable?

Seven tips to make working with annoying co-workers workable:

Tip #1: Ignore weaknesses and focus on strengths: Acknowledge to them, and to yourself, what’s good about them and their abilities. Make an effort to focus on these positives, rather than the negatives.

Tip #2: Accept them for who and what they are. Changing co-workers and trying to get them to be less annoying is a futile endeavor. However, what you can do is set up boundaries and understanding that this isn't your best friend, your date, or even a friend – it’s your co-worker. All you have to do is be able to work with them. Let that be enough.

Tip #3: Give them space. Do not go out to lunch or hangout around the water cooler (so to speak) with an annoying co-worker. You will just encourage the behavior and give them the idea that you’re buddies – to say nothing of giving yourself a headache.

Tip #4: Wait a day. If you’re dealing with a difficult or annoying co-worker and find yourself getting annoyed or angry, give yourself a day to cool down and mull over how you want to handle them - before calling, emailing, or confronting them.

Tip #5: Kill 'em with kindness. Take the high road. This is so easy -- and yet so hard. If you have to choose between being right or being happy, choose being happy -- unless it’s something truly important. If they send you salt, send them back sugar. In fact, be extra nice.

Tip #6: Be willing to apologize. Why? Because it means you’re willing to put your ego (you know that little voice inside your head that tells you you’re always right) aside for the sake of maintaining a civil working relationship. And it demonstrates that you’re a big enough person to admit when you’ve done something wrong (which you invariably will).

Tip # 7: Stay your course. Continue to do the best job you know how to under the circumstances, and you and your work will be recognized.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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