Dealing with Difficult Coworkers

Almost every workplace has at least one: the credit-stealer, the gossip, the slacker who makes more work for everyone else, the passive-aggressive emailer, the person who makes every meeting about themselves. Difficult coworkers drain energy, create tension, and make the workday harder than it needs to be.

You can't control them. But you can control how you respond, and that makes all the difference.

Common Difficult Types

• The Credit Thief: Takes your ideas and presents them as their own
• The Gossip: Spreads information and stirs up drama
• The Slacker: Does minimal work, creating burden for others
• The Bully: Uses aggression or intimidation to get their way
• The Underminer: Sabotages quietly while appearing supportive

Difficult people are often hurting people. That doesn't excuse their behavior or mean you have to tolerate it. But understanding that their behavior is usually about them, not you, helps you respond rather than react.

Strategies That Work

Stay professional: Don't let their behavior justify your own bad behavior.

Document: Keep records when patterns emerge.

Set boundaries: Be clear about what you will and won't accept.

Address directly: Sometimes a calm, private conversation resolves things.

Escalate when necessary: Some situations require involving leadership or HR.

Protect yourself: Minimize exposure when possible.

Your Action Steps

This week: Identify the difficult person and their pattern.

This month: Try one direct approach to address the behavior.

This quarter: Evaluate: Is this manageable or is it time to escalate or exit?