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How To Deal With The 10 Most Uncomfortable Work Situations
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Awkward Work Scenarios
- Others taking credit for your work: speak up when presenting your joint ideas, else the boss will remember that the other was the one who did all the talking.
- Overanalyzing your tone or watering down criticism: understand the difference between sounding arrogant and assertive.
- Noisy coworkers: work somewhere else in the office or record the noises that you make during a workday—maybe the noises aren’t as bad as you think.
- Beign interrupted during meetings: to speak with authority and presence you need to feel worth listening to, and you can develop it for yourself.
- Making friends in the office: invite a coworker to lunch or ask to join a group of them. People are often happy to have new additions.
- Firing a hard worker that isn’t good enough: set clear benchmarks, and let them know what will happen if they don’t meet them.
- You want to leave early but others work late: talk to your boss if there is no reason for the extra time.
- Your employees don’t respect you: project confidence in your new role, then be specific and clear about your expectations.
- Interviewing while pregnant: it’s an opportunity to show your resourcefulness and preparation. Be ready with a plan for minimizing the impact of your absence.
- You don't want to attend to happy hour: try coming up with some time during work to bond–like lunch or family-friendly weekend events.
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Coworkers That Cause Drama
When you're second-guessing yourself before communicating with someone, you probably have reservations based on their past reactions.
When you do need to communicate with such people,...
Don't Pretend to Be Above Office Politics
You work with a variety of people and you won't always get along with everyone. Telling yourself, "I don't engage in office politics, I tell it like it is," is a flawed tactic that might just cause more trouble.
When you stick your foot in your mouth, all you can do is apologize and explain it was a genuine mistake.
Ask Questions
Ask your contacts in any new environment.
- Are there sensitive topics that I shouldn't discuss without talking to you first?
- Can you draw an organizational chart for me?
- Who should my main point of contact be for this project?
- Is there a certain process I should follow for this task? Is it okay if I talk to this person first?
- With whom should I be engaging?
With a clear understanding of how they work and are their organizational hierarchy, you're less likely to do something that will cause unnecessary drama or miscommunication.
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Key Ideas
Forgetting Someone's Name
- If you haven’t already, ask for their business card.
- Ask for their name and pretend you just didn't know their last name.
- Introduce the person to a friend and hope th...
Making Small Talk and Dealing with Awkward Silences
- Have some good go-to stories.
- Use the FORD technique (asking questions about Family," "Occupation," "Recreation" and "Dreams) to turn small talk into an actual conversation
- Just enjoy the silence.
Going on a First Date
- Pick a great first-date activity.
- Keep your expectations in check.
- Learn the science behind the perfect first date.
- Try not to sweat it even if things do get uncomfortable.
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Key Ideas
Conflict with bad coworkers
Having a bad coworker can really hamper your mood over the long haul, as well as your job performance.
How you deal with that conflict could very well be the difference between h...
Accept and Acknowledge Personality Differences
Small tics will be magnified and personality differences lead to varying work styles, which can easily turn into conflict.
Conflict can even arise from something as simple as you desiring a quiet lunch period, while your coworkers like to socialize. These types of things are simply differences in how you work or socialize, and don’t necessarily make your coworkers bad.
Know the Pros and Cons of the Work Culture
Some work cultures are notoriously demanding and competitive, which can obviously lead to a lot of conflict.
In a sales environment where folks are competing for commissions and bonuses, it’s understandable that not everyone would be over-the-top friendly with each other. You should consider whether you might be misinterpreting behavior or overreacting to it.