We interact with the people in our offices on a daily basis. Do we like them all? No. Do we have to tolerate them? Yes. Here are five personalities in the workplace we run into and how to deal with them.
1. The Over-Sharer
Office conversation is generally polite. To the question “How was your weekend?” people normally responded with an, “Oh it was great—I went to the farmer’s market!” or even, “Got drinks with friends; such a fun night!” Those responses leave a lot of room for interpretation. But the over-sharer? She launches into a way-too-detailed story about her 36-hour bender with the hot firefighter she brought home, how she lost and found her left shoe, how she almost punched a girl who cut her in line at the club, and that she may still be drunk.
Response: Nod politely a few times. If you’re already working on things it’s okay to not make eye contact, especially if you want her to keep it to herself. Statements like “oh my!” or “wow that sounds eventful” show that you’ve acknowledged the story, but you don’t any more info. Try not to ask too many questions because this will just trap you for the rest of the day. To fend off the insanity, just politely say, “I have a lot to do today. Better get to it!”
2. The Suck-Up
This certain soul is looking for validation at every turn. They are always trying to get on your good side by doing the coffee run, complementing your outfit, asking you where you got it, and so on.
Response: Take a deep breath each time you hear the overabundance of complements and remarks. Try not to roll your eyes when they shower forced praises on your boss; controlling your facial expressions is extremely important in these situations. Just say thanks and offer a kind comment back. They probably only want to be liked, and hey, compliments are nice sometimes.
3. The Optimist
Everything is sunshine, and rainbows, and glitter in this persons’s eyes. They always see the good in things—even if it’s a big stretch. Normally this is a great quality, unless they messed something up that affects you and your job.
Response: Sometimes errors happen, and positivity isn’t always a bad thing. But instead of just sending some glares her way, use her good attitude and make it useful to you. Set up some time for the two of you to brainstorm a solution. Then everyone wins!
4. The Negative Nancy
Everything is terrible. A dark grey cloud of bad energy follows them around, probably followed by a raccoon and the grim reaper. There’s something wrong with every situation and they get stressed out about it. They do lots of audible, heavy sighing.
Response: Bottle up some sunshine and put it on her desk. (Just kidding.) Let them do what they’re going to do, but offer positive words when possible. Maybe they need to be encouraged to feel good about what they’re doing, and remember that a smile can truly brighten anyone’s day.
5. The “Mean Girl”
She’s full of snarky, rude remarks and has a comment about everything. She thinks she’s the coolest person at the office. But Regina definitely needs to cool it, so what can you say?
Response: Kill her with kindness, not confrontation. While there are appropriate ways to engage with coworkers, a good general rule of thumb is to be polite. Just remember that the mean girl in your office probably has nothing against you and acts that way toward everyone. Give her the benefit of the doubt. And if that doesn’t work? Just picture her getting hit by a bus…
