E verything is great when you work with people you already respect, trust, and know that you can work well with. The true challenge comes when that is not the case, and you have to work on a project or task with someone that you do not like or respect. If it has not happened already, it will, and you will find yourself having to work with someone that you just don’t like. Learning to collaborate successfully with people you dislike is a valuable skill because eventually, you will need to use it; trust me. I recommend that you take it slow and start working with your office nemesis on smaller projects before you find yourself in the position of being forced to collaborate with them on a larger project that has more consequences applied to the outcome. These are some helpful tips to help you through the process: First, you need to truly understand why you dislike the person you have been assigned to work with. Sometimes, we form a dislike for people at work because they remind us of someone else or because of talk around the office about their work ethic and or personal life. Understand why you do not like someone. If it is because you have worked with them and they did not pull their weight, then you need to deal with that. If it is because someone else worked with them and has issues, you should not automatically assume the same. Remember, there are always three sides to every story: one colleague’s story, the other colleague’s story, and the truth. So, give them the benefit of the doubt and make your own judgment based on your experience, and you might be surprised with the outcome. Second, remember that you do not need to like a co-worker, and they do not need to be your friend. What you need to do is work effectively together with them. Remember, this is not personal; you do not need to hang out with them after work or invite them for dinner at your place. It is professional, and it needs to stay that way.
When dealing with someone who rubs you the wrong way, always keep your emotions in check. Regardless of your colleague’s behavior, always take the high road, ALWAYS! Again, remember this is business, not personal, so concentrate on the project, not the person you are working with, and get the task done. It is always good to communicate with a colleague when working together. However, it is critical with people you dislike or who may dislike you. Remember when we spoke about three sides to every story? Well, make sure that you keep the receipts. That means having more dialogues, both verbally and more importantly, written
through email. It means listening more than you speak and spending more time understanding their point of view. You never know; you might inspire your office nemesis, and you both turn into besties. Stay focused on your goal. If you are unable to improve your work relationship with the person you have been assigned to work with, then learn to play the game or, in this case, work nice and on achieving the goals of the project Working with a colleague you dislike is never fun, but using these tips will help you remain professional and respectful and reach your project goals so that you can move on to other projects and opportunities.
128 SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • VOL 25 ISSUE 2
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