Navigating Difficult Personalities at Work

How to Deal with Difficult Coworkers 👇 I've worked with some challenging people in my career... and honestly? Each one took a big toll on me. Sometimes it was a client... Sometimes a coworker... And sometimes my manager. Toxic work environments can be out of our control - you just can't predict who you'll work with, no matter how much you research a job in advance. But with the right approach, you CAN improve your situation. ➡️ DON'T PLAY THE VICTIM — EVEN IF YOU ARE ONE Your job is to make your manager's life easier — not harder. Complaining without a solution shows poor leadership and signals you can't solve problems independently. Take responsibility and start solving the problem yourself. This mindset shift alone can dramatically change outcomes. ➡️ NOTHING WILL CHANGE UNLESS YOU DO SOMETHING The other person may not even know there's a problem, or they don't have enough reason to change. Speak up in a private, non-combative way: "I work best when..." or "It's challenging for me when..." Attack the problem, not the person. One conversation can transform a relationship that's been difficult for months. ➡️ GIVE DIRECT BUT RESPECTFUL FEEDBACK Pick a 1:1, a check-in, or ask for a meeting. Keep it calm, constructive, and focused on collaboration. You're not confronting — you're informing and improving. Frame it as a joint effort to create a better working relationship. ➡️ PROTECT YOUR REPUTATION If the situation might impact your image, notify your manager. Let them know you're working on it and will update them. This protects you from having your reputation damaged if the wrong story gets out. It shows maturity and leadership under pressure. ➡️ STAY PROFESSIONAL — ALWAYS Matching disrespect with disrespect only fuels the fire. They'll use your reaction as ammunition to continue their behavior or claim you're being unprofessional. Don't stoop to their level. Stay calm, stay sharp. When they go low, you go high. ➡️ BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE When you feel mistreated, take notes on what specifically bothers you. Use it to guide how you will treat others someday when you're in a position of authority. Great leaders don't repeat bad management — they learn from it. Managing people is genuinely hard - balancing praise with constructive feedback takes skill. ➡️ DON'T FIX IT FOR OTHERS — HELP THEM FIX IT THEMSELVES If someone comes to you with a coworker problem, listen. But instead of solving it for them, empower them to act. Teach them how to handle it — that's true leadership. As the saying goes, give someone a fish and you feed them for a day; teach them to fish and you feed them for a lifetime. === Sometimes, despite your best efforts, there's no fixing a toxic environment. Know when it's time to move departments or jobs. I'm a big believer that who you work with matters as much as what you do. What strategies have worked for you when dealing with difficult coworkers? Drop your thoughts below 👇

“You suck!” How to keep your cool when criticized in a meeting. “That’s utter nonsense,” my peer said in a meeting during my time at easyJet – the British equivalent of ‘you suck.’ As much as I wanted to hit back, I knew it wasn’t smart, so I bit my tongue and said nothing. There are better ways. Here are 7 I teach in my leadership communications coachings: 1/ 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 (𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲) ↳ “I hear you – we could have done better, and we are working on it.” ↳ This disarms the critic and takes the wind out of their sails. 2/ 𝐏𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 (𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐬��) ↳ “That’s one way to see it. Here’s another.” ↳ Calm confidence beats emotional defensiveness. 3/ 𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐚 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ↳ “Could you give me an example?” ↳ Invite feedback. You take control and appear curious. 4/ 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 “𝐀𝐁𝐂” 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 ↳ Answer briefly. Bridge to your key message. Communicate what really matters. ↳ “That’s fair, but what matters more is this…“ 5/ 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐭 ↳ “Cost is important, but let’s look at the impact…” ↳ Use tough feedback as a spotlight for your core message. 6/ 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭 ↳ “Thank you, I will take it into consideration.” ↳ If it hurts, it may reveal an insight. Focus on what’s useful, not what’s hurtful. 7/ 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 ↳ Don’t take it personal – because it isn’t. See the bigger picture and keep your cool. You 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲. But you do control how you respond. - - - - ♻️ Repost to help others, too. And follow Oliver Aust for more on leadership communications. ♟️ Want to become a top 1% communicator? Reach out here: https://lnkd.in/eRy_qSUq

Your ego is the invisible author of your career. It sits there, quietly rewriting your job description. Adding clauses you never agreed to. Inserting fears you never acknowledged. Creating boundaries you never needed. At work, we pretend to be rational actors. Strategic. Thoughtful. Data-driven. But that's the greatest professional lie we tell ourselves. The truth? We're primarily emotional creatures wearing business casual. Your ego doesn't care about outcomes. It cares about appearances. It would rather you stay silent in a meeting than ask the "stupid" question that might actually save the project. It would rather you defend a failing strategy than admit you were wrong. It would rather you cling to a prestigious title than pursue meaningful work. This is what Jung called the persona trap – the professional mask that slowly becomes a prison. The face you wear to work that eventually wears you. Look around your office. See the person who can't delegate because "no one does it right"? Ego. The manager who never admits mistakes? Ego. The colleague who turns every discussion into a battle? Pure, unfiltered ego. And the most dangerous part? We mistake this protection for professionalism. We're not serving the company's mission. We're serving our fragile self-image. We're not making decisions – our insecurities are. But here's the liberating truth: you can kill the ego without killing yourself. Start by becoming the first person in any room to say "I don't know." Watch what happens. Feel the initial sting, then the surprising respect that follows. Ignorance admitted is strength displayed. Then, practice the mental separation between identity and role. You do marketing, but you are not a marketer. You manage people, but you are not your management style. Your work is not your worth. Finally, seek the feedback that makes your ego scream but makes your mind sharper. The kind that hurts today but heals tomorrow. Because the greatest career freedom comes when you realize: your job is what you do, not who you are. And the moment your ego stops writing your job description, you can finally write your own story.

Insecure leaders build loyalists, whereas visionary leaders build challengers. The difference determines whether organisations thrive or merely survive. Loyalists tell you what you want to hear. Challengers tell you what you need to know. A CEO once surrounded himself with people who competed for his approval rather than competed for better outcomes. - When the market shifted, nobody warned him.  - When competitors innovated, nobody challenged his response.  - When customers complained, nobody questioned his strategy. His team was too busy being loyal to be useful. Meanwhile, the companies that dominated during that same period? Their leadership meetings looked like intellectual battlegrounds. Those leaders didn't want cheerleaders. They wanted intelligent opposition. The best leaders I know actively recruit their own critics, whereas insecure leadership creates three toxic patterns: ➡️ The echo chamber effect: Only hiring people who think like you, ensuring blind spots become company-wide vulnerabilities. ➡️ The approval addiction: Making decisions based on internal consensus rather than external reality. ➡️ The challenge penalty: Punishing dissent so effectively that people stop offering it, even when the company desperately needs it. Visionary leadership does the opposite: ✅ Cognitive diversity: Deliberately building teams with different perspectives, experiences, and thinking styles. ✅ Constructive conflict: Creating systems where disagreement is expected, respected, and rewarded. ✅ Intellectual humility: Leading with the assumption that the best idea might come from anyone, anywhere, at any time. The leaders who build challengers? Their people stick around through the tough times because they know their voice matters, their thinking is valued, and their contributions shape outcomes. They don't just work for the leader. They work with the leader. After four decades, I've learned this: The most successful leaders aren't the ones who eliminate opposition. They're the ones who elevate it. ✅ Your next hire should scare you a little.  ✅ Your next meeting should challenge you completely.  ✅ Your next decision should survive the toughest questions your team can ask. Because in business, like in life, the people who make you comfortable are rarely the ones who make you better. #consciousleadership #betheexample

Does your feedback kill creativity? I’ve seen this pattern many times: brilliant ideas dying not from lack of merit, but from the way they’re critiqued. The problem isn’t feedback itself - it’s how we deliver it. When we offer criticism without direction, we’re not helping. Phrases like “This won’t work” or “That doesn’t make sense” are idea killers. They tear down without building up. The result? People stop sharing ideas when they know they’ll be shot down. And that fear becomes the team’s culture. Here’s what the best mentors I’ve seen do differently: instead of flattening ideas, they sharpen them. And here’s a practical framework that can help you do the same 👇 1️⃣ Observe a specific behavior or aspect of the idea 2️⃣ Explain why it might not achieve the desired result 3️⃣ Suggest questions or alternatives to try that may lead to the desired outcomes This approach honors the courage it takes to share creative work. It matches vulnerability with care and turns feedback sessions into collaborative problem-solving. ✨ The choice is yours: Will your feedback kill creativity, or will it help it soar?

One of the most common questions I get asked, especially when I speak at tech events, is this: "How do I handle feedback and turn it into a tool for growth?" Feedback can feel tricky sometimes. I get it - you’re putting your work, your ideas, your skills out there, and then someone comes back and tells you it’s not quite right. It can sting, right? I’ve been there too. But here’s the thing - how you respond to feedback can either fuel your career growth or quietly hold you back. Let me explain. When you approach feedback with the wrong attitude, whether it’s defensiveness, dismissiveness, or even avoidance, you’re shutting the door to potential improvement. Imagine building a great product and ignoring feedback because, "It works fine for me!" It sounds ridiculous, but that’s exactly what a wrong attitude to feedback looks like. However, let me show you how I make feedback a tool for growth: 👉 I detach my ego from my work: I understand that sometimes comments on our work can get to us, but it’s a lot easier when I remind myself that my work or ideas are not me specifically. I consciously choose not to see feedback as an attack but as an opportunity to make my work better. 👉 I ask for clarification: Sometimes, people just want to talk or make vague comments, and I ensure that I filter things properly by asking the right questions. If the feedback isn’t clear, I ask for examples or specifics. I’ll say things like, “Can you show me what you mean?” or “What would you suggest as an improvement?” This helps me turn vague critiques into actionable insights. 👉 I create a feedback loop: After implementing feedback, I follow up by asking, “Does this solve the issue you pointed out?” This shows I’m proactive and allows me to openly communicate, making feedback even more effective. The right attitude to feedback can transform how you grow in your career. Use it as a tool to refine and elevate your work rather than something to fear. I hope this helps someone. See you in the future! Samuel Lasisi #linkedin #feedback #career #tech #uxdesign #uiuxdesign

After years of conducting audits across various organizations, I've learned that sometimes the most challenging part isn't reviewing the documentation—it's managing difficult auditees. Here's what I've found works: Start with empathy: Remember that audits can feel threatening. Your auditee might be defensive because they're worried about their work being criticized. Acknowledge their expertise and make it clear you're there to help improve processes, not to find fault. Set clear expectations early: Explain your process, timeline, and exactly what you need. When people understand the 'why' behind your requests, they're more likely to cooperate. I always start with: "Here's what success looks like for both of us..." Document everything professionally: A difficult auditee might challenge your findings later. Keep detailed notes of all interactions and evidence requests. But avoid using confrontational language in your documentation—stay objective and fact-based. Build informal relationships: I've found that grabbing a coffee with the auditee before diving into work can transform the entire dynamic. The walls come down when they see you as a person, not just an auditor. Use the "feedback sandwich" technique: When discussing findings, start with something positive, address the issues, and then end with constructive suggestions. It helps maintain a collaborative atmosphere even during tough conversations. Remember: The goal isn't to win an argument—it's to help the organization improve. Sometimes the most resistant auditees become your biggest allies once they understand you're on their side. What strategies have you found effective in handling challenging audit situations? Share your experiences below! 👇 PS: Below pic is just for LinkedIn algorithm and not at all related to this post, don't consider it as a tip :D #InternalAudit #Leadership #ProfessionalDevelopment #IA #AuditBestPractices #CorporateGovernance

What if your greatest career success... is also your biggest obstacle to growth? Experience is a powerful foundation but it can also be a trap. The skills and frameworks that propelled your success are deeply ingrained. So much so that, when you step into building your own path, ego may tempt you to rely on the familiar... instead of exploring the new. But genuine reinvention means releasing that need for certainty and control. It means quieting the ego so you can fully engage in creating what’s next. Here’s why that’s important: Ego, if left unchecked, doesn’t just limit growth... it blocks your ability to see new opportunities. In a recent conversation with clients, we recognized a few places where ego was getting in the way... and actionable ways to leave it behind as you enter your next chapter: 1) Identify Where Ego Limits Your Curiosity Ask yourself: Do I dismiss new approaches favoring “tried and true” methods? If you’re saying “I already know this” before you’ve taken time to explore... ego may be at play. Begin asking “What don’t I know?” or “How might I look at this differently?” and see where that openness leads you. 2) Shift from “Proving” to “Exploring” Often, we want to showcase our knowledge to maintain a sense of certainty. Instead, try approaching this phase as an exploration, not a test. Embrace the freedom to • try • adapt • learn without the pressure of immediate results. This shift from proving to exploring can release ego’s grip and free up creative energy. 3) Embrace the Beginner Mindset Stepping into uncharted territory? Rather than bringing in your “big career” identity, approach it like a beginner... with curiosity and humility. • ask questions • seek help • don’t assume you know the answers This mindset invites fresh perspectives and unlocks new avenues of learning and growth. 4) Look for Small Wins Beyond Recognition Ego often pushes us toward highly visible successes. But real transformation doesn’t need a spotlight. Seek out the smaller, everyday wins in this new chapter. • a new insight • a constructive conversation • a completed task that moves you forward Recognizing these incremental steps keeps the focus on growth, not external validation. 5) Pause to Reflect Regularly Schedule time each week to reflect. Ask yourself: “Where did I let my assumptions lead today?” “Where did I approach with openness?” This self-awareness keeps ego in check and reinforces a more flexible, growth-oriented mindset. Transformation is inherently uncomfortable, especially for accomplished leaders who are used to “having it all together.” But stepping beyond ego is essential for true innovation. In the CreateNext approach, we see it as a critical first step: letting go of the old to build what’s new. Question... In what ways might holding on to ‘proven’ methods be limiting your ability to embrace your new path fully?

Building stronger workplace relationships is easier than you think. Here's what actually works (after 10+ years in team management): 1️⃣ Start with genuine curiosity - Ask about their projects - Listen more than you speak - Remember personal details they share 2️⃣ Create connection points - Schedule regular coffee chats - Join or start team activities - Offer help before they ask 3️⃣ Practice professional empathy - Acknowledge their challenges - Celebrate their wins (big and small) - Be reliable with commitment 4️⃣ Foster open communication - Share knowledge freely - Give credit where it's due - Address issues directly, but kindly 5️⃣ Respect boundaries - Keep work conversations professional - Don't force social interactions - Honor their time and space The key? Consistency in these actions. These aren't just "nice to have" practices. They're essential for creating a workplace where everyone thrives. Remember: Strong workplace relationships aren't built overnight. But small, daily actions make a huge difference. Try these today. Your future self (and team) will thank you. 📌 Share if you know someone who could use these tips P.S. Which of these will you try first? Drop a comment below. #employees #workplace #team

Last week, we were hired by a large U.S. management consulting company to coach their directors who were transitioning into partner roles. These super-bright participants had excelled at top business schools and used their sharp analytical skills to solve complex client problems. However, as they moved into management, their analytical prowess became less effective and, in some cases, even obstructive in building strong relationships. Here’s what we discovered: these directors were using listening and interactions primarily as a means to problem-solve. They listened intending to identify, define, and analyse the client’s issues, then quickly offered solutions. While this approach served them well in consulting, it often hindered their ability to build the deep, relational connections necessary for business. Top 3 Takeaways with Action Steps: 1. Listen Beyond Problem-Solving: Please focus on emotions and values. When someone comes to you with a problem, go beyond summarizing details. Pay attention to the emotions, values, and strengths they express. This helps in building a more genuine connection. 2. Shift Your Approach: Recognize relationship needs. Understand that effective management requires more than problem-solving. It involves developing relationships, understanding others’ perspectives, and addressing their emotional and personal needs. 3. Practice Deep Listening: Practice naming the emotions and values you hear during conversations. This simple shift can transform your interactions from transactional to relational, fostering stronger connections with your team and clients. Warmth and connection are crucial as you grow into leadership. Are you ready to move beyond problem-solving and build meaningful relationships? #Leadership #Empathy #ActiveListening #Management #ExecutivePresence #Training