Dealing with difficult situations at work
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The document discusses strategies for dealing with difficult situations at work. It outlines seven common difficult situations, including a coworker with annoying habits, suspicions of sabotage, controversial conversations, inappropriate advances, gossip, food theft, and an overly demanding boss. For each situation, the document describes the main problems and recommends strategies, such as using humor, inviting mediation, compromising, or directly addressing the problematic behavior respectively. The overall document provides tips for maintaining professionalism when tensions rise at work.
Dealing with difficult situations at work
- 1. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work
- 2. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Introduction • We know the feeling: – Our patience is nearly ending, we are about ready to throw our fist through a wall or we are on the verge of tears. – The steam is pouring out of our ears.
- 3. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Our Daily Working Environment • When we work with the same people day in and day out, chances are we will eventually encounter a situation that can be very “explosive”.
- 4. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Important • When we find ourselves in a volatile situation fueled by anger, frustration, or any other highly unstable emotion we need to be very careful about our attitudes since they can damage our career and our professional networking.
- 5. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Strategy 01 – Inject Humor • We should be able to lighten the mood by using a little humor to show we are not taking it too seriously. • We need to reduce the level of stress, allowing everybody to think about the whole situation. • Be careful since we don’t want to give the impression that the other person’s feelings are not important.
- 6. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Strategy 02 – Invite a third party to mediate • Involving a respected third party can help both sides feel that they are being heard • If the person is truly neutral, and respected by both of us, the decision should be considered fair, balanced and acceptable by all.
- 7. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Strategy 03 – Shift Perspective • We should change our perspective about the situation and consider many different points-of-view. • Maybe the whole situation is not about us or what is going on. • If our co-worker is going through a messy divorce, we might have a little more patience when he doesn’t behave well.
- 8. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Strategy 04 - Compromise • Being stubborn typically doesn’t get us very far. • We should avoid the “I am completely right” since we can overlook the possibility of creating an equitable solution. • Compromise is a necessity for any relationship, professional or personal and remember together, we can then create a solution.
- 9. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Strategy 05 - Surrender • All too often we get consumed with the idea of being right. • Even if we are right, it may be appropriate to concede and simply wave the white flag. • Non-stop arguments can potentially damage our long term relationship with any person, causing irreparable harm to our ability to work together.
- 10. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work 07 Important Tips • Establish facts first. • Ask lots of questions. • Actively listen. • Avoid pre-judgement. • Act professionally. • Aim for win-win. • Remember there is no one size fits all approach.
- 11. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Situation 01 - Problems and Strategies Main Problem Strategy A co-worker has the • Make sure that you aren’t annoying habit of guilty of something as doing something that annoying yourself. you can’t stand • See what you can do to block anymore. out the habit that annoys you. • Invest in headphones, and try to focus on something else. Main Aspects • If you really can’t put up with, Obsessively clicking pens. then politely ask your co- Playing music too loudly. worker to refrain. Tell them Chewing gum like a cow that you get easily distracted. munching on grass. • Above all, be nice about it.
- 12. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Situation 02 - Problems and Strategies Main Problem Strategy You suspect someone in the • You need to be aware that office is working most people are not out to get against you. you. Recognize that, and half the problem is gone. • Dealing with a competitive worker can be accomplished Main Aspects by simply doing your work Your paranoia gets the the best you can. better of you. • And remember the only one You’re put in defensive who you are really competing mode, and you begin against is yourself. actively working against the possible offender.
- 13. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Situation 03 - Problems and Strategies Main Problem A co-worker tries to Strategy engage you in a • Just don’t talk about religion heated religious or or politics. political conversation. • If someone asks for your opinion, try to steer the conversation elsewhere, or Main Aspects laugh it off and say something Politics and religion are neutral. almost always a big no-no • If you feel it is necessary, in the workplace. leave the place out. Controversial conversations can quickly turn into animosity.
- 14. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Situation 04 - Problems and Strategies Main Problem Strategy A co-worker or • Be fast to deal with this superior makes an situation. inappropriate physical • Do not ignore sexual advances advance and assume that they will go away. • Tell the perpetrator (in Main Aspects private) that you aren’t Broken office romance. interested and uncomfortable, An unwanted pass can and that you want his or her spawn gossip, discomfort, behavior to stop. or even professional and • Make sure he or she knows personal danger. that you will file an official complaint.
- 15. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Situation 05 - Problems and Strategies Main Problem A co-worker incites Strategy you to participate • Stay away from notorious in a nasty office gossips. gossip • When someone tries to share office gossip with you, try Main Aspects changing the conversation, or simply tell them that you Participating in gossip may don’t like talking about others be tempting, but it’s almost because you don’t like it when always ill-advised. people talk about you. When you participate in gossip, you run the risk of offending coworkers.
- 16. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Situation 06 - Problems and Strategies Main Problem Strategy Someone is stealing • Put your food in some sort of your food from the container, and make sure to refrigerator. label it with your name. • If it keeps happening, ask, in a non-accusatory manner, if Main Aspects anyone has seen your food The stealing becomes items. habitual. • If all else fails, you can You decide to let it slide. always purchase a small You go hungry and personal fridge and keep it resentment builds. under your desk. Confrontation ensues.
- 17. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Situation 07 - Problems and Strategies Main Problem Strategy Your boss overloads • You just have to learn the best you with tasks that way to say no to your boss. aren’t in your work • Meet with the boss to review description your work description. • If it becomes an ongoing problem, go to HR. Main Aspects • We would also suggest a At first it starts out with transfer to another department little things, like “Do you or looking for a new job mind doing this?” because some bosses just Eventually, you become won’t change. your boss’ slave.
- 18. Dealing with Difficult Situations at Work Our Business Contacts Feel free to send us an e-mail. Our Website: www.licoreis.com Our E-mails: licoreis@licoreis.com licoreis@licoreis.com.br robertolico@hotmail.com Linkedin: Roberto de Paula Lico Júnior Twitter: @licoreis
Editor's Notes
- #2: In today's workplace, computers and electronic communications are the norm rather than the exception. Computers, e-mail, electronic databases and on-line research play an important role in many businesses today. Technological advances have made electronic communication indispensable in today's workplace. According to recent reports, text messaging figures into L.A. train wreck probe. Investigators of last week’s L.A. train wreck that killed 25 people are looking into a report that an engineer blamed for missing a stop signal light may have been distracted by text messaging. Today, we will discuss the ever-increasing use of technology in the workplace, its potential for abuse and how employers can protect themselves.
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