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Difficult People in Work Groups

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(@tiavance23)
Posts: 18
Active Member
 

@nk434 Hello! You should always want to get the project done. That should be the goal for everyone. Go in with a positive attitude, if there is someone who is making it difficult for the team to reach that goal. Then, it needs to be taken up with the project lead. 

 
Posted : 01/03/2022 4:01 pm
 Dani
(@dani)
Posts: 24
Eminent Member
 

Most individuals in the workforce who have been involved in a project are likely to have encountered a difficult person in the project workgroup. 

Some experts have suggested that it is vital to address this issue as soon as possible to avoid that person's bad attitude affecting others and potentially reducing the team's morale (O’Hara, 2017).

There are several suggested strategies for dealing with a difficult co-worker. One potential solution to this issue is to reach out to the person in question and attempt to determine the reason behind why the person is not behaving like a team player.   Once the source of this issue has been identified, it might be possible to eliminate or mitigate the problem prompting the person to come across as difficult. Another strategy is to approach the co-worker in a non-accusatory manner. Most individuals tend to become defensive or shut down if they feel that they are being attacked. Instead, ask questions in a friendly manner. Hopefully, a positive approach will elicit a positive response and promote mutual understanding between both parties.   An additional suggestion centers around clarifying the role that the difficult co-worker serves on the team. Perhaps some form of miscommunication or misunderstanding is the source of uncooperative behavior. Reviewing expectations can be a method of reducing ambiguity and clearly defining the tasks the co-worker should complete (O’Hara, 2017).

Based on personal experience, one other suggestion would be to review team interactions to ensure that everyone is conducting themselves in a professional, respectful, and appropriate manner. In some instances, a person can come across as difficult when they are, in fact, the victim of inappropriate behavior from a fellow team member. The bad attitude could stem from being uncomfortable with having to work with someone with whom they have had a negative altercation. 

 

References

O’Hara, C. (2017, April 21). How to work with someone who isn't a team player. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/04/how-to-work-with-someone-who-isnt-a-team-player

 

 
Posted : 01/03/2022 10:21 pm
(@kellyepcarter)
Posts: 33
Eminent Member
 

@tiavance23 I agree, most times, talking things out clears the air, especially if both parties have open hearts and minds.

 
Posted : 02/03/2022 11:40 am
(@ggmsm22)
Posts: 24
Eminent Member
 

I have learned from personal experience that working with difficult people says a lot about you based on your reaction to diificult people in a work group and how you deal with them. The best thing to do in my opinion is to address or answer the difficulty this person is presenting and move on. Once the issue has been addressed this now becomes a you problem. You can't allow difficult people to pull you down the rabbit hole or distract you from completing the task.

 
Posted : 02/03/2022 11:22 pm
(@crysv1226msm2022)
Posts: 27
Eminent Member
 

I agree that communication is imperative when working with individuals. Knowing also what to filter out has been an aid for me. If we have open, honest conversations, we can create the foundation for a stable working relationship. Some persons do not work well with others, and we have to learn to understand that is a reflection of them and not necessarily you.

 
Posted : 03/03/2022 12:14 am
(@wandalyons)
Posts: 13
Active Member
 

@anthonynjit I agree with you Anthony, I was on a team in my undergrad and a student was bossy, I can not remember her personality letters however we both were power hitters and it was not a matter of how is lead it matters it the team is on the same page and have the same goals in mind. No matter what suggestions was being made that individual was against it. The team eventually stepped back from the individual, we work the project with out them and it was successful however, we had to due a team evaluation and we all got a group project grade and then there was a individual grade base on team members eval for the team members. So yes it is good some time to step back from a difficult team member to isolate their issue that it do not affect he project. Most cases it is a personal problem that that person is having difficulty dealing with and lashes out on everyone instead of dealing with the personal problem. 

 
Posted : 03/03/2022 7:22 am
(@brianoe17)
Posts: 20
Eminent Member
 

Difficult people to work with in work groups are the worst. If everybody just does their part, the process would be very smooth. Luckily I haven't had any bad group mates here a Morehouse but during my undergrad years at the University of West Ga I have experienced some bad group members. With a little communication, things could work much better. Having like minded individuals in your group will get the group much further as well, as they have aligned interests.

 
Posted : 03/03/2022 7:43 am
(@brianoe17)
Posts: 20
Eminent Member
 

@kellyepcarter I agree Kelly. Communication is definitely key in any form of relationship, whether its a work relationship or a personal one. Communicating can alleviate common issues that most people have by talking out problems and solutions.

 
Posted : 03/03/2022 7:53 am
(@dehayesmsm-edu)
Posts: 24
Eminent Member
 

This is a great topic dealing with a difficult team member is never easy. There are ways to approach the team member to try and get to the root of the problem. Oftentimes you can start by being persuasive and giving them a justification for why they need to do what you want them to and be a cooperating member. Making them feel a part of the process can also make the member buy into doing a task. Other times you may have to take a step back momentarily to look at the problem and consider all factors that may be causing the strife. In addition, it is always a good idea to be direct and talk about I would approach the team member calmly, respectfully, and privately so the member does not feel attacked. Most importantly listening as the team member share their view of the situation gives them time to express themselves and feel included. Lastly, if all the above ideas fail you have to know when to escalate the situation if it threatens the project.

This post was modified 2 years ago by dehayes@msm.edu
 
Posted : 05/03/2022 9:36 pm
(@veron_perez)
Posts: 78
Trusted Member
 

There will be times when it will be difficult to see eye to eye with another team member and it will be difficult to agree on how they can complete a task. There are potential ways to deal with another team member like this. If the method is largely not useful then it would be better to speak to someone ‘higher up’ on the regard, whether it be someone who has done this task already and how they completed it or sometimes it can even be the project manager. Having a third party intervene may not always be the best solution but on some occasions it may give some insight on how to continue. In regard to the method of just not agreeing with each other, communication is the next best route to take. Talk about what will not work and compromise on a certain solution that both parties will agree to complete. Communication is a key part of working on a team and should be the first way to deal with a problem rather than let it grow and cause issues later on in the project.

 
Posted : 30/01/2023 8:08 pm
 zel3
(@zel3)
Posts: 25
Eminent Member
 

It can be very tricky to navigate a situation and develop a professional relationship with people who think they are always right. It may be easiest to go along with what that person is proposing or insisting needs to be done without advocating for your own opinion. However, I think it is imperative to always communicate your point of view in a professional manner. I also think it shouldn’t depend on the circumstances to determine how you behave with these kinds of people. Even if it is a one-off project and you will never have to interact with them again, I think it is still important to make sure your point is heard and debate decisions if you think it is the wrong choice. At the end of the day, you can always agree to disagree if the conversation becomes unproductive. I think this is an extremely important thing to do even if is uncomfortable. Especially if it is an important decision because it may be more worth it to debate your opinion than to deal with the repercussions of an incorrect decision. Like a lot of other people have said, although it may be awkward or uncomfortable, open and honest communication can solve most professional interactions and relationship with these kinds of coworkers.

 
Posted : 01/02/2023 7:31 pm
 jj52
(@jj52)
Posts: 75
Estimable Member
 

@leshan I agree that a conversation should be held with a person if there is difficulty working with them to possibly find a common ground. Having a paper trail would also be sufficient to show that there was effort on your end. I wouldn't recommend asking others how that person used to act on previous projects because words and conversations can be misconstrued and that person can feel like you were talking about them. Which only leads to more drama that is not needed in the work place. Working by yourself on a group project is not ideal and you could possibly strain yourself but it is possible if nothing else is working.

 
Posted : 01/02/2023 9:22 pm
 vv48
(@vv48)
Posts: 61
Trusted Member
 

Communication is key while working in a team. All people have different backgrounds, different customs, and different ideologies. However, If they got assigned to be part of a group of people to deliver a certain outcome, they need to work as one. As professionals, people need to act like one. They might dislike each other, but they have one common goal which is to perform a good job and accomplish the project designed. If there is any misunderstanding, the subject needs to be brought up so all the differences can be faced and fixed. Acknowledging a problem and facing it is the way to go to overcome the situation.  A positive environment must be maintained so the team can thrive. If communication is missed, the whole team will collapse. If the team doesn't seem to work as such, the PM might need to move pieces around and reassign roles, so the project can be harmonious. Listening to the root of the problem can solve the whole issue from the beginning. 

 
Posted : 02/02/2023 9:38 pm
(@mj386)
Posts: 78
Trusted Member
 

As others have stated before, communication is the foundation from which any progress can stem. As a project manager, I would do my best to delegate the tasks that each member needs to complete and the due date for these assignments also. Establishing the Design Development Plan would be essential for everyone to be on course for both aspects. If a team member has issues with their part, I would encourage them to share any issues with me and try to work out the best way to solve the situation.

 
Posted : 03/02/2023 4:16 pm
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