There will be many times in our career when we run into difficult situations, whether that be a demanding boss, non-communicative team members, or late work hours. It can be daunting to deal with these difficult situations, but if we handle them gracefully, we will succeed in the end, and maybe even show our bosses and team members how valuable we can be in our career.
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Handling Difficult Bosses or Team Members: Ignoring the situation will only make things worse. The most important thing you need to do is address the difficult person immediately. Many times, people do not know they are being difficult or acting unreasonable. If it is your boss, have a talk with him or her, and discuss how you two might be able to handle situations differently to help the both of you succeed. With a co-worker or teammate, you can be a little more candid, but be gracious. Make sure you don’t make it all about you, but rather, how you can help this other person succeed. If a co-worker is still consistently being difficult even after your discussions, then it may be time to talk with HR to help you handle the situation.
Handling Miscommunication: The wrong information can ruin a project or delay a deadline. If you or your teammate is unclear of a task, deadline, or priority, make sure you get this clarified immediately. If you still don’t understand what is being asked of you, approach the person who is giving you the tasks another way. Ask this person for examples of ways in which they would handle the tasks.
Handling Client Issues: If an issue comes up with a client, again, address the situation immediately. Remember, the client is your customer, and therefore, your number one priority. If you aren’t able to meet the client’s demands, talk with them about alternative situations. Again, you are there to help them succeed.
Handling a Demanding Workload and Long Hours: Between work and home life, your own life can get quite hectic. A demanding workload and long hours can leave you stressed and burned out, causing your productivity in both your career and home life to dip. If you have run yourself into the ground keeping up with demand, stop and take a break. Talk with your boss about bringing in a co-worker to help with the workload. Ask for some time off to help you re-energize. Taking some time off is one of the best things you can do to increase your productivity.
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