The 3 Most Common Types of Difficult Coworkers

"A review of the relevant research revealed that problematic coworkers tend to fall into three broad categories: 1) those who withhold their full effort, 2) those who are chronically negative or pessimistic, and 3) those who display some form of inappropriate interpersonal behavior. These three general types appear to cover a wide range of individual possibilities."

"Instead, people tend to gossip and complain about difficult coworkers behind their backs. Doing so vents some of the frustration and gives the commiserating coworkers something over which to bond. Unfortunately, this approach doesn't tend to result in a resolution of the problems."

"Imagine, instead, having a heartfelt conversation with your difficult coworker, not for the purpose of establishing blame or causing upset, but as a genuine attempt to solve problems. Having such a conversation requires skill (which can be developed) and entails some risk of upsetting the other person, potentially causing an open rift."

Problematic coworkers typically fall into three broad categories: those who withhold full effort, those who are chronically negative or pessimistic, and those who display inappropriate interpersonal behavior. Rather than gossiping behind their backs, which provides temporary venting but no resolution, direct conversations offer a more effective approach. Difficult conversations are uncomfortable because they address behaviors rarely discussed openly. However, people tend to overestimate the likelihood and severity of emotional upset when imagining direct conversations. Having a heartfelt conversation focused on genuine problem-solving rather than establishing blame requires developing conversational skills and accepting some risk, but typically yields better outcomes than avoidance strategies.

Read at Psychology Today