7 practical tips to deal with difficult people in the workplace
It doesn’t matter what you do or how high you go, there’ll be points in your career where you have to work with people who are a bit… tricky. Perhaps they’re terrible at organisation and always miss deadlines. Maybe they’re super knowledgeable, but rubbish at communication. Sometimes they’re perfectly fine in nearly all regards, but you just don’t click. These are the people who make work a mind-numbing slog, who refuse to collaborate, who just won’t see things from your perspective, who constantly nit-pick, and on, and on.
As much as we might dream of these types of co-workers deciding to quit their jobs and start new lives far, far away from us, holding on to that hope isn’t a realistic solution. Instead, we need to learn how to work with these difficult people. Helping us through this is workplace expert Salman Raza, who says there are a few things you can do.
1) Try to understand the person’s intentions
=====================================
Don’t write off your colleague as someone whose life mission is to annoy you. What else is going on? ‘People are rarely difficult for the sake of it. Try to identify why they are behaving as they are. What is stopping them from cooperating with you? Why aren’t they meeting deadlines? How can you help to resolve the situation? What can you do to meet their needs?’
2) Stay calm and treat them with respect
=================================
‘Losing your temper isn’t the answer and won’t get the desired result. It will in fact ignite their ego and will cause further conflict,’ notes Salman. Try your hardest not to be rude, mean, or petty, even when this person is driving you around the bend. Think about your end goal: you want to get on with your work without all these bumps and snags, not end up in a fight or become a bully – no matter how difficult someone might be.
3) Explain your motives
===================
Wait a minute – what if they think you’re being difficult to work with? ‘Let the person know your intentions behind what you are doing,’ Salman says. 'Sometimes they might be resistant because they think you are being difficult with them! Giving the full background of why you are doing something, why something is needed by a certain date or why something is happening, might help them empathize with your situation. Showing your vulnerability is a great way to get people on board'.
4) Build rapport
=============
‘Try to connect with your workmate on a personal level. Get to know them as people, and not just colleagues. Learn more about their hobbies, their family and their lives. Really listen to what they say and try to respond in a thoughtful way. Good personal relationships can foster better working relationships'.
5) Ask other people for help
=======================
Don’t seethe all alone, letting your rage eat away at you. It’s worth chatting with other people to check you’re being reasonable – and see if they have any genius bits of advice to make the working relationship run a bit more smoothly. Certain co-workers may have worked with this difficult person before and worked out the best way to navigate their quirks. ‘Ask your colleagues and managers for help,’ ‘They may be able to see things from a different angle and share some light on how to approach the situation. If appropriate, you can ask a close friend or family member for help as well. You never know if they have been in a similar situation until you ask'.
6) Focus on what can be done
=========================
‘Rather than dwelling on what you can’t change, focus on the actionable steps you can take to forward yourself in the situation,’ ‘For example, if a colleague hands something in late, focus on what you can do to rectify the situation.’ Easier said than done, we know, but try to remind yourself of this as a mantra the next time you’re about to rage about how your colleague has screwed you over yet again.
7) Speak to your boss
==================
Salman says: ‘When all else fails, speak to your manager. Sometimes, the only way to get someone to change is through someone senior speaking to them'
==================================================
Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️💥❔
What has a head but no brain?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
-
83.9% Same!
-
16.1% Would have liked to try something different
7 tips for buying your Christmas ham
It’s the centerpiece of the Christmas table, so when you’re peering into the supermarket chiller or ordering from the butcher, choosing the perfect ham can feel like a daunting task.
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing one to bring home with you.
1. What type of ham to buy
You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to the type of Christmas ham you’re going to buy.
Cooked on the bone (COB) ham is the traditional Christmas ham. If you’re buying a half ham, you’ll have the choice of the shank or fillet end. The shank is the part with the bone sticking out that gives the ham that traditional look. The fillet end is the round part that gives more meat. If you’re deciding whether to get a whole ham or half, consider how quickly you’ll be able to eat it all. You only have about a week to eat an opened ham before it will go off, so it can be a good idea to get two halves. That way you can eat one half during the week of Christmas and save the other for January.
Champagne ham has had the bone removed and only has the hock left on, so it’s easier to carve.
Pressed ham – also known as continental ham – has had the bones removed and has been pressed, so it’s also easy to carve.
2. Check the pork percentage
The label on a packaged ham will say what percentage is actually meat. Hams are injected with brine, to keep them moist, and additives. The brine injection level for manufactured hams is usually between 10% and 35% of the ham's weight. A manufacturer that wants to produce a cheap ham will add more water to bump up the weight.
3. Know how to tell if it’s New Zealand pork
By far, most of the hams bought in New Zealand this Christmas will be from pigs reared overseas. New Zealand imports pork from about 25 countries. It’s frustrating for New Zealand pig farmers because this ham can come from farms that don’t have to meet the same animal welfare standards as we have in this country. As a result, overseas meat is often cheaper.
If buying New Zealand pork is important to you, look for:
words on the packaging like ‘New Zealand pork’ or ‘born and raised in New Zealand’
4. Have a good look at the ham
If you’re going to be glazing your ham, look for one that is covered in a finger-thick layer of fat. This will give you the thickness you need to make good score lines.
New Zealand Pork’s website also advises looking for a ham that has a meaty texture rather than one that looks wet or rubbery. It says the ham’s skin should be smooth with even colouring. “If the knuckle is sunken, it may be overcooked. If the rind is buckled or uneven, it may be a sign of dryness.”
5. Ask a lot of questions
If you’re ordering your pork from a butcher, you probably won’t be able to compare hams like you would at the supermarket. So, make sure you ask lots of questions, now that you know what you’re looking for.
You could ask:
Is the ham made from New Zealand born and farmed pork?
What will be its injection percentage?
What flavours will it have?
You could even ask if there’s a glaze the butcher thinks would work particularly well with those flavours.
6. Know what size you’ll need
If the ham is the only meat on your Christmas menu, New Zealand Pork advises allowing 1kg of ham for five people. Or if you’ve got other meat options, 1kg will feed about six to eight people.
7. Know the best hams in New Zealand
The best hams of the year were awarded at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards earlier in the year so you can check out which ones got medals. Some of them are only available in the city the butcher is based, but a Farmland boneless ham available nationwide won a gold award and Woolworths bone-in and boneless hams picked up bronze.
====================================================
Loading…
