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5 Tips for Dealing with the Coworker from Hell
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, LifeScript Staff Writer

Have you ever had to deal with a difficult person at work? Someone who makes your blood boil and your veins pop out? Chances are that you have had to deal with such a person – and chances are you’re dealing with difficult coworkers every day. The stress and anxiety of dealing with negative people can oftentimes be too much to handle – especially as you become more susceptible to the heart disease and lowered immune function that accompany high-stress situations. Don’t have a physical and mental breakdown on account of someone you can’t stand. Learn to deal with difficult coworkers – even the coworker from hell – with these five tips. Plus: Find out if you fight fair…

Dealing with Difficult Coworkers Tip #1 - It’s Impossible to Please Everybody
No matter how competent and wonderful a person you are, you just can’t please everybody.

Many times, people who are known for being difficult just haven’t learned yet how to think of anyone other than themselves, which makes it hard for them to be considerate of others. They may also have a very negative outlook on life, perhaps because of a troubled past or because of their current situation. Their negativity may be very deeply rooted within many years of heartache, so the first thing you have to realize when dealing with difficult coworkers is that although they may not have just cause for their bad attitude, they may be dealing with a lot of stuff that’s simply out of your reach.

Dealing with Difficult Coworkers Tip #2 - Be Prepared for Conflict
The best way to deal with a negative situation is to see it coming. If you’re going to have to work closely with or otherwise deal with a toxic coworker, know ahead of time how you’re going to handle the situation.

Set up the conflict in your head and work through how you’re going to handle it. Know your own limitations and be prepared to uphold your morals and values.

Don’t let go of your self-confidence and don’t allow them to get under your skin. Recognize their problems as their own problems, not yours.

Dealing with Difficult Coworkers Tip #3 - Don’t Fuel the Fire
You’re going to be tempted to retaliate – to lash out at toxic coworkers in an attempt to try and "make them understand" how their negativity is affecting you. However, 99% of the time, this is the worst thing that you can do.

People who thrive on being difficult and causing tension also thrive on controversy. Any exchange of negative words makes them feel powerful and fuels their need for pessimism. "Kill them with kindness" is the best piece of advice for dealing with situations involving difficult people. They will either become too frustrated or too bored with you, eventually become disinterested in engaging in debate with you.

Once they back off, your work situation can become more focused on the actual work, relieving the pressure of dealing with this difficult coworker.

Dealing with Difficult Coworkers Tip #4 - Lend a Helping Hand
Although not beneficial in all situations, sometimes difficult people are looking for an ally – someone to spill their heart to and vent their pent up frustrations to. Just by being a good listener, you may be able to better the situation between you and this coworker that you find to be so difficult.Once you’ve broken down the wall of conflict, you may then be able to give suggestions on how this person could improve their attitude to help both your work situation and theirs. If they are not receptive to your input, try using a neutral third-party to navigate the conflict into a compromised outcome.

Dealing with Difficult Coworkers Tip #5 - Move On
There comes a point where you just can’t fix the problem, so whether it’s them or you that has to move on, somebody needs to.

If working with this person has become unbearable, you should start thinking about either moving yourself to a different department, moving them to a different department or letting them go – if you have that kind of say in the situation.

Sometimes difficult people make it tough for everyone, creating a negative atmosphere and lowering productivity, which is plenty reason for dismissal.If you’re stuck dealing with difficult coworkers every day, it’s important that you try and better your situation either by making nice with this difficult person or giving them the boot.

There’s no reason why you should give somebody the power over you to determine whether you’re going to have a good day or a bad day.

Take these five tips into consideration the next time you find yourself dealing with difficult coworkers and remember that even the coworker from hell could become a valuable asset to your company or department with a friendly push in the right direction.