Learning how to work with difficult people at work is not easy. They put you in hot water and may not deliver on promises, or they may even hold you responsible for something you didn't do. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to make the experience as smooth as possible. First, acknowledge that the difficult person is causing problems. Then, decide what action you need to take to help them resolve the issues.
If you are working with a difficult person at work, you should know what it is that they do. Some difficult personalities are overly critical, have OCD characteristics, or don't understand boundaries. Others may be perfectionists, or have high expectations. If you are faced with these people at work, learn how to deal with them so you can avoid their negative influences and build a better working relationship with everyone else.
First, understand that these people aren't trying to be difficult - they are likely going through a difficult time in their life. It's not your fault they are difficult - their behaviors are a reflection of their personality. Try to avoid making personal comments about them, and focus on the things you want to accomplish. This will help you both work through the issue. If you can't resolve the problem on your own, seek help from someone else.
Don't get frustrated - don't give in to your emotions and react to negative behavior with anger. This rarely improves the situation and only makes matters worse. To defuse your situation, take a break and take a deep breath. If necessary, speak to a co-worker to vent your frustration. By allowing yourself time to decompress and gather your thoughts, you'll be able to handle difficult people better.
Avoid escalating conflict - While it's tempting to let a difficult co-worker get you down, this approach rarely helps. Rather than engaging in a confrontation with your difficult coworker in front of other employees, you should first take a step back and look at the bigger picture. If possible, avoid further conflict by limiting access to the problem area and requesting a transfer to another position within the organization. If your problem doesn't improve with the transfer, consider taking a pay cut or quitting your job.
Avoid escalating conflict if possible. The worst thing you can do is to ignore the problem and let it continue. This can be helpful if the person isn't making the effort to improve their behavior. But this option is only suitable if the two people's personalities don't mesh and the conflict isn't bullying. A more effective approach is to seek out the internal reasons behind the difficult person's behavior.
Developing a relationship with your difficult co-worker is another way to deal with difficult situations at work. A relationship is mutual, so try focusing on your positive traits and changing the way you view them. This will go a long way in helping you to understand them better. In the long run, you'll find that you'll be able to deal with difficult situations and build stronger relationships.