Office life
can have its ups and downs, but
having to endure a jerk can make it
miserable. Office jerks take on many
forms, and thus require creative
strategies for dealing with them.
Handling Six Common Types
The
Loud Phone-Talker.
"Obviously the first step is to pull
them aside quietly and ask them to
lower their voice when using the
phone," says Julie Jansen, a career
coach, consultant, and trainer. "If
this doesn't stop them, you could
dish out the same treatment and
stand near their cube on your cell
phone and talk loudly. Or you can
hold up a sign that says, 'Please
turn volume down.'"
The
Hang-Arounder. When
confronting the co-worker who
chronically lingers to chat when you
are trying to make a deadline -- a
subtle jerk, but a jerk nonetheless
-- try standing up when they enter
your office or cube. "The unspoken
message of your body language will
clearly tell him or her to keep it
brief and head for the door," says
Ken Lloyd, author of "Jerks at Work:
How to Deal With People Problems and
Problem People."
The
Idea Stealer. There is a
strong possibility that this jerk
can't distinguish between a good
idea and a bad one. "Somewhere along
the way, slip in a really bad idea
and let the jerk steal that," Lloyd
says. However, beware that this
might only encourage the jerk to
become worse.
The
Meeting Monopolizer. Get
creative. "Try eliminating the
chairs and making it a standup
meeting," Lloyd suggests. The
monopolizer will likely get thrown
off and won't have time to settle
into the usual routine of
unproductive dominance.
The
Bully. Remember, you're not
in high school anymore. "Hold your
ground and refuse to be bullied,"
says Steve Piazzale, a career and
life coach who runs
BayAreaCareerCoach.com. "They'll
usually back off over time."
The
Boss. Sometimes dealing
with a jerk should not be your
problem, particularly if you have a
manager who is a jerk. In this case
you might take a look around the
company and notice several jerks.
"This may be part of the company
culture," Piazzale says. "In which
case get out!"
More
General Coping Strategies
Passive. Avoidance is the
most obvious solution if you don't
want a confrontation with any type
of office jerk. "You can go to your
boss and ask him to intervene," says
Jansen. Or, if things are really
unbearable, you could ask to be
relocated to another part of the
office.
Active. Avoidance can
backfire if the jerk continues the
annoying behavior. Try talking to
the person. "Difficult people don't
always know they're being
difficult," Jansen says. "People
generally don't have a very high
level of self-awareness, so specific
and constructive feedback is
important."
If you must
confront a jerk, it is wise to take
the high road. Career coach Piazzale
says, "Try to understand where the
behavior is coming from, and tailor
your response to that."