This handful of workplace tips will make work better.
- Ask yourself, ”Why do you care?” – What annoys you about your nemesis at the office, and why do you even care? If you figure this out, you’ll gain insight about that person when you determine the reward they are receiving by behaving in a way that affects you and ignoring the behaviors that make you crazy, work will be much easier. You will learn it is more sensible to put your energy into modeling behaviors for these people to start, instead of behaviors you may wish they stopped. It is likely that over time, you can adjust situations that will reduce whatever reward that person will receive, and they likely aren’t even going to notice the change. Given patience and time, it could work without being harmful to others.
- Change your voice – Change your vocal tone. From time to time, a coworker can disrupt a project, create needless work for you, or else do something that produces an awful environment. During those periods, rather than permitting the annoyance to show in your voice, when you respond use your “please pass-the-butter” voice. This non-threatening tone is the same voice you would use to ask for butter at the table. It isn’t going to sound defensive, which could make things worse.
- Watch your unconscious cues – People are able to tell when you are feeling uncertain or weak. So, you need to determine what unconscious cues you send out. Learn to know when you will hunch over your desk and look less confident. If you consume more space people take for granted that you are more in control of yourself and the situation. This is helpful to keep in mind when you find yourself forced into a situation without knowing and you might not know what’s expected of you.
- Think about your boss – Always be sensitive to the responsibilities of your manager. If you are unsure about what that responsibility is, then ask. While they might not provide you with every detail, it will be much easier to decide the best method to move ahead by understanding the reason for the project.