How To Handle Idiotic Colleagues With Grace And Patience

We’ve all got a colleague who manages to mess things up at least once daily. Naturally, it’s easy to get upset or butt heads, but you can’t go on creating conflicts in a professional setting, so here are some tips to handle workplace idiocy:

Stay Calm And Ignore

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is let bygones be bygones and focus on what lies ahead. Unnecessarily concentrating on a specific mess-up will only hinder your ability to work. If a colleague’s behavior does not directly impact you, settling down is best.

Reduce Your Interactions

If a problematic colleague constantly bugs you and you know you won’t get the work done, set a clear boundary and focus on your work. It’s even worthwhile adjusting your work schedule so you don’t have to interact with said colleague.

Show Kindness When Responding

Although it’s tempting to go all out when reprimanding a problematic colleague, kindness is the best way to ensure they stop creating problems. Most colleagues mirror attitudes, so the more positive you are, the more positive they’ll be.

It’s About Them, Not You

Dealing with a problem by prioritizing yourself will only make the situation worse. It’s vital to assess a colleague’s behavior against their own, address what might be causing their actions, and investigate accordingly.

Offer Help And Guidance

Your colleague might be experiencing personal problems that are spilling over into their work behavior. Such behaviors won’t magically go away, so try to guide your colleague. Offer them help, whether it’s understanding a task or redirecting them to a resource.

Empathize With Them

Put yourself in their shoes and try to understand what might be causing their behavior. It’s possible that what we think is silly behavior is a fear of the corporate environment or misunderstanding. Being empathetic and kind will help them settle in and improve.

Be Patient

Things won’t change at the snap of a finger; you’ll need to wait it out. You can only wait and see what happens if you’ve redirected your colleague to helpful resources and addressed their issues. Remain patient and calm; try not to let their behavior get to your head.

Reflect On Your Behavior

A colleague may be extra clumsy or unprofessional around you because of your behavior or attitude, so they can’t work unless you improve your mood. The only way to move forward from such an impasse is to reflect on yourself, figure out what’s happening, and address situations.

Set Clear Boundaries

Don’t hesitate to set down clear boundaries. Communicate what you want and don’t want so there’s no confusion. Don’t be rude; stay polite, but remember to be firm so your colleague doesn’t misunderstand your words for an order or a suggestion.

Focus On What You Can Control

You may not be able to change a colleague, but you can always change your reaction. If you’re bothered by something, try focusing on the task and your goals. Redirect your energy to maintain a professional standard and try to let go of things.

Avoid Gossip

Unnecessarily spreading the word about a conflict of behavior can dramatically impact things. Your colleague might be acting out of personal issues, but that’s not your dirty laundry. It’s important to give them space and privacy and respect their boundaries.

Talk To HR

If nothing works, you can always go to HR. Try to explain the problem as clearly as possible without putting a biased spin on it. Address your frustrations and let HR handle the problem with the colleague.