Positive ways to handle negative coworkers
05/27/09
Chances are that everyone has had the not-so-joyful experience of working with a negative Nancy or Ned who never seems to have anything positive to say. Every company has at least one or two.
Unfortunately, some people will always be negative, no matter how hard you try to lift their spirits. And there will always be someone in the office who's having a bad day.
While there’s no “easy button” to eliminate negativity from the office, there are simple techniques everyone can use to deal with it. It starts with a healthy mix of sensitivity, objectivity and defense tactics.
Test out a few of these tips and tricks for dealing with negative people at work:
Say it with a smile. When you’re in a conversation that starts turning sour, don’t feed into it with more negativity. Instead, smile and say something that will make the other person smile, too. Try a simple compliment. Smiles are contagious and it’s tough to smile and say something negative at the same time.
Stay objective. When dealing with a negative person, sometimes you just have to keep yourself out of it and understand that person may simply be having a bad day. Whatever that person is angry about, it probably isn’t because of you or something you did.
Avoid it. Evade your coworker’s eternally bad day by intentionally avoiding them, plain and simple. Take a different route to the printer or leave for lunch a few minutes early, whatever you have to do to stay away and protect your good day.
Let them vent. In order to feel better, sometimes people just need an open ear to vent to. Negative feelings tend to stick around longer when people don’t feel like they’re being heard. Listen to what your negative coworker has to say, with an objective ear, and ask questions to let them know you’re listening. It may be just what they need to get in a better mood.
Offer to help. Maybe "Negative Nancy" actually has a legitimate reason for being angry and maybe there’s something you can do to help. Before getting involved, set limits to the extent of your involvement, but try to do all you can to help your coworker out. Lend a helping hand, or at least some objective advice on how they can start to resolve their issue.
Especially with news of layoffs and downsizing rocking Corporate America month after month, keeping negativity out of the office is next to impossible. What's possible is controlling how you let negativity affect your own day-to-day outlook at work. Approach negativity with a positive attitude and your workplace will be better off because of it.