While the dream for most employees is to work with a team that they always get on with, the reality is that\u2019s not always possible and you may end up on a team or project with someone who you simply don\u2019t like.<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t have to be best friends with everyone you work with, but you do need to be able to maintain a positive working relationship and put aside personal differences in order to get the job done. Here\u2019s how to get along with coworkers you don\u2019t like to get the job done:<\/p>\n
There are lots of traits a person can have that might get on your nerves, but it doesn\u2019t mean they are necessarily bad. By labelling someone with a negative descriptors \u2013 \u2018irritating\u2019, \u2018loud\u2019, \u2018bossy\u2019 \u2013 you prime yourself for negative interactions. Try to reframe them: \u2018persistent, \u2018extroverted\u2019, \u2018forthright\u2019. It will help you to approach these colleagues with more acceptance and lead to less stress and negative emotions.<\/p>\n
While you might prefer not to have to spend time with someone you don\u2019t get on with, it\u2019s a good opportunity to reflect on your own preferences and opinions, or even learn from a different person\u2019s approach. It\u2019s well documented that diversity of opinion and approach<\/a>\u00a0is the best way to reach goals and improve outcomes, so note where their working style is different from yours and consider what you might learn from it.<\/p>\n For example, they might be a stickler for details who drills into every aspect of a project and asks a lot of questions about it. You might find this tiring, but ultimately it might result in a better outcome. Even if you don\u2019t follow suit, it can be helpful to learn to make room for different working styles.<\/p>\n It can also be a good opportunity for personal growth, to exercise self-reflection, prioritisation and learning to respond thoughtfully rather than react rashly when someone says or does something you dislike.<\/p>\n Some common results of dealing with people you don\u2019t like at work are either direct conflict or avoidance and withdrawal, and neither of these is productive. Conflict that\u2019s not managed well can damage to the workplace environment; avoidance means poor communication leading to decisions-making being put off. Both can be detrimental to the shared goals you have. Instead, make a concerted effort to discuss things like preferred learning or working styles.<\/p>\nCommunicate with them and set boundaries<\/h3>\n