What To Do When A Co-Worker Turns Nasty

A friend of mine laments that work would be great if only there were no other people there! No matter where we work, we will work with others. Often, those relationships are cordial if not friendly, but there can be challenges. You will not love all of your co-workers, and some will be downright nasty.

Bullying doesn't just happen in schools. More frequent incidents of co-workers who bully others are being reported. When co-workers turn nasty it can make for an uncomfortable, if not dangerous, working environment; but there are ways to handle the situation so that it doesn't get out of hand.

Set clear boundaries. If you don't set limits and let the co-worker know that their behavior is unacceptable, you can bet it will continue. Let the offender know that you will not accept their behavior by saying things such as, "It is not okay for you to talk to me like that," or "I don't appreciate being treated this way. I will not tolerate it." This lets the bully know that you will not tolerate such behavior. If it continues, report the bully to your supervisor and company security.

Don't fight back. The saying "Fight fire with fire" in this case is dangerous. Often the bully is simply trying to engage you, so if you fight back it will escalate the situation. If need be, remove yourself from the room and avoid contact with the bully as much as possible. Letting the bully know you will not play their game will often take the fun out of it for them, and they will leave you alone.

The law requires workplaces to be free from hostility. If you have a problem don't just sit back and take it. Make your boundaries clear and let your manager know what is happening. Your manager is responsible for maintaining the peace and calm in the office, but he or she can't if they do not know there is a problem.

You deserve to work in a safe environment. If you find yourself in anything less, be proactive and work on changing it. If being proactive doesn't help, start looking for another position within the organization, or a job with a different company. Unfortunately, if the company tolerates bullying, there is little chance that you will be able to make significant changes. Whatever you do, keep in mind that you don't have to take it. When it comes to bullying, create a no tolerance standard for yourself.

Coach Rachelle Disbennett-Lee, PhD, is a Certified Master Coach specializing in working with business owners and professionals in being more profitable and productive while staying sane and balanced. Coach Lee is the publisher of the award winning e-zine, 365 Days of Coaching. Her first book, 365 Days of Coaching - Because Life Happens Every Day (Universal Publisher, 2004) was named a finalist for Best Book 2004 by Publish.com and has a five star rating on Amazon.com.

Visit Coach Lee at her websites http://www.coachlee.com and http://www.365daysofcoaching.com

True Direction, Inc. Copyright
>>>This article along with byline attached may be freely republished


More Resources

American Idol Syndrome
I like Simon, one of three judges on American Idol. I find his feedback refreshingly honest.
Do What You Love, Love What You Do
Everyone dreams of a life full of love and adventure. But we fill ourselves with reasons not to follow our dreams.
Four Important Questions to Ask Your Interviewer; Do You Really Want to Work for This Person?
Many job seekers miss a golden opportunity when they are asked towards the end of an interview if they have any questions. If they feel the interviewer adequately explained the position, they make the mistake of answering "No" to this question.
Targeting Your Resume is So Important For Your Career
Targeting your portfolio, (resume and cover letter) can get you any job you desire! The purpose of targeting is so you can find your perfect match, your dream job!To target successfully, you need to calculate the position, do this and you will be sure to hit the mark.When targeting the job you wish to apply for, ask yourself,"Am I responding to this position because I really want to do this job, or am I merely responding because the position is available?" Remember, there are always vacant positions to fill, but finding an open position that you truly want to perform every day, is going to take a more committed search.
Hair Dressing as a Career
Since the world started hair has been a very important aspect of individual personality and with the change in time hair has emerged as a big form of self expression for both men and women.In todays world everyone wants to look beautiful, everyone wants to get compliment from their friends and its a well known fact that when you look good you feel good and then you work better.
The Power to Succeed
It's amazing how we fool ourselves..
The Surefire Way To Getting A Pay Raise
If you are working for someone else, it is important to remember this fact: No one gives you a raise, you must earn it. You've got to prove you are worth the additional money you are asking for.
How to Make More Job Contacts Faster, through Viral Marketing
Are you in the job market? Sick of every blog-byte cramming down your throat that you have to get out there and network? Feel like your traditional networking efforts have turned into a self-destructive waste of time? Online Social Networking (OSN), a form of viral marketing, is a better way to hook up to opportunity. Done right, it'll do wonders for your self-esteem and warp-speed your contact development.
Where Do I Go From Here?
Making Your Future Work Better For YouIt's the commonest concern people have about their careers. Where am I heading? Is this the right direction for me? How can I tell what will suit me best? Making good career decisions doesn't have to be agony if you clear away a few misconceptions.
How Can You Find Freelance Writing Jobs?
Do you think that there is a big sign that reads, "Freelance Writing Jobs, Apply Within"? There just is not. In fact, you may have a hard time finding writing jobs of any type advertised in any employment magazine or newspaper either.
Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
This article relates to the Job Security competency, commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. After a large scale cut in personnel, this particular group of employees needed some extra support.
Franchising Offers NO Guarantees --
You have to ask --- IS a FRANCHISE FOR YOU?There are NO guarantees. You invest your money and take your chances.
How to Be Prepared for a Layoff
If you are concerned that your company might be planning a layoff, your best course of action is to be prepared. Employees often see warning signs that their jobs may be at risk.
How Hedgehogs Hire
In my last column, I explored Jim Collins' "hedgehog" principle, and how powerfully this can be used to attract great employees. After many dozens of CEO interviews, I'm convinced that leaders with well-defined hedgehogs deploy the most successful hiring models.
The Case For Internships
America may be the Land of Opportunity, but this is also the land of the Big Trade-Off. Sure, you can have that nice house, but you're going to have to become a mortgage slave to keep it.
Job Hunting Tips: Accepting Judgment
Applying for work is stressful, no matter the circumstances. Even if you are already working, and merely looking to see what else is out there, you still want to be offered the position.
Medical Billing And Coding Profession
Medical billers and coders are in high demand among the allied health occupations. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), health information technicians are one of the 10 fastest-growing allied health occupations.
Reactions to Job Loss; Getting Past the Emotions
Without doubt, job loss through downsizing or redundancy, is a major event for everyone when it happens. Most of us invest so much of ourselves in what we do that job loss can take away our sense of status and belonging, as well as the routine and support that work provides.
Opportunities in Automotive Services Industries - How To Cash In
I believe it would be safe to say that the transportation industry is one of the highest revenue producers in today's modern economies.Millions upon millions of private passenger vehicles rule the highways and rural roads in countries around the world.
8 Steps to Getting On-Track When You Start a New Job
Starting a new job can feel like moving to a new country. Your language skills may be modest.

More Careers & Employment Information:

Related Articles

Where Do I Go From Here?
Making Your Future Work Better For YouIt's the commonest concern people have about their careers. Where am I heading? Is this the right direction for me? How can I tell what will suit me best? Making good career decisions doesn't have to be agony if you clear away a few misconceptions.
College Labor is Available in Ohio
Ohio has always been big on education and that means a bright, energetic and reliable workforce for expanding businesses. A business which wants to expand its number of outlets should be looking strongly at the Ohio market place as there are many very strong and economically viable areas to do business.
Necessary Psychological Skills When Working in the Executive Protection Field
The "hard" skills necessary for an executive protection specialist (EPS) and/or personal protection specialist (PPS) are often perceived as being that of a policeman or (elite) soldier. Though there can be certain similarities i.
Top Ten Guidelines For Working With Executive Recruiters
1. Select the right type of recruitment partnerDetermine whether you would be best served by a retained, contingency, contract or research based partner at a global, national or local level.
Why Human Resources Are The Real Key To Success In This Information Age
The rapid changes that have mainly been brought about by the information age are numerous and irreversible. They have affected our way of life on virtually every front and have left many old companies in ruins while causing other new ones to swiftly emerge and grow to great unprecedented profitability, literally overnight.
What Did You Say?
My table-mates introduced themselves as the reciprocal protocol began. We chatted about what we did, where we did it and what we thought of the conference.
The Inevitable Job Interview Question: "Why Did You Leave (Are Planning To Leave) Your Last Position
This is a question that you can almost count on being asked at your next interview What the interviewer wants to know is, "Why are you available?"The answer you give could set the tone for the rest of the interview. For instance, if you were to indicate that you were bored or burned out at your last job, the interviewer would quickly become concerned about your performance at this company.
How to Answer The Most Difficult Interview Questions
The following 'difficult' questions are common to most tricky or adversarial interviews. In order to convince the interviewer that you are the best person for the job, you must prepare and rehearse your answers meticulously.
7 Tips to Deal With a Bad Performance Review
Q. "I wasn't happy with my last performance review.
Common Résumé Mistakes
Using a general résumé.DON'T DO IT! You cannot successfully use the same résumé to apply to several different jobs.
Employees, Get Used to Working under Surveillance
Let's face it. Monitoring employees' e-mail, tracking their Internet use, logging everything done at keyboards has become the norm in Corporate America.
Make Your Resume Keyword Rich and Scanner Friendly
If you haven't looked for a job recently, there are new tactics that hiring professionals are using that you should be aware of before updating your resume.Employers and recruiters increasingly rely on electronic resumes, resume posting boards and job banks to find job candidates.
Why Do Interviews Die: That Sinking Feeling and How to Prevent it!
Interviews die because a mistake occurred. Sometimes, you've made a mistake; sometimes they die because someone who screened a resume did.
Writing Great Cover Letters
Cover letters are an essential ingredient to your complete résumé package. This is the best opportunity for you to demonstrate your personal character, knowledge of the company and your business writing skills.
9 Tips on Creating a Professional Emailed Job Application
With the advent of the Internet, many of us have the opportunity to apply for work through email.However, just because this is the Internet and email is so fast and convenient, that does NOT mean you should give up professionalism and polish!FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT.
Make A Lasting Impression With Interview Etiquette
(Des Moines, Iowa - February 2, 2005) Behaving appropriately during every course of an interview is just one way to increase your success with finding a job. Here are some tips to consider before you're seated across from your interviewer.
Stepping Stone Jobs
What we name something matters.It sets a tone that alters our attitude.
Ask the Recruiter
We all have career goals, big or small. Here are some questions I have recieved over the last month from those actively seeking new employment.
You're Ready for a Career Change - Is Your Resume?
You finally did it. You made the decision to leave a career that makes you dread every Monday morning and pursue one that you feel is your true calling.
Searching for a Federal Job
Many years ago searching for a federal job was a long, complicated and drawn out process. Today, it has been become far less complex and is now just a three-step process.