From the course: Teamwork and Collaboration for Service Workers

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Handle difficult coworkers

Handle difficult coworkers

From the course: Teamwork and Collaboration for Service Workers

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Handle difficult coworkers

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Even tough personalities can be a part of a really strong team. It's all in how you handle it. We've all had difficult coworkers. Here's some of the common traits: they don't move with urgency, they're quick to assign blame, they love comparing how hard the work they're doing is to somebody else's work. Stay calm, keep it light, and focus on the work. That goes for every job, not just restaurants. You have the power to set the tone for your shift. If you show up and think, This is going to be a tough shift, this person's tough to work with, then it will be. If you show up and you think, Ooh, I've got to find a different way to work so this is a great shift, it will be a great shift. The best advice I can give you is go up to that person and start off the shift in a great way. Smile, or say something unexpected like, “Hey, I got your back today.” Starting the shift that way is really going to help that person start to lean into that team work with you, versus having those same feelings…

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