Do you work with people you despise? How do you cope with it?

Question

My boss is that person for me.

Telekinetic-Potato · Accepted Answer

One of the biggest things that kept me motivated to start my own business and freelance was how much I couldn’t stand some of the people I was working with.

Lying, cheating, jealous, incompetent, low self esteem, people who don’t try their best. Even one person like that around me on a daily basis is too many.

I just don’t cater to them. I do my job the best I can and you’ll almost never see me boast unless someone brings up the topic.

You’ll drive them nuts and eventually have enough of a relationship to work well together when necessary.

It’s also important to make friends in your workplace strategically.

Know what areas you have and can build leverage in so you can limit the amount of bullshit you have to deal with from people generally acting like losers.

At every job I’ve had since I was 20, I had dirt on some of my bosses favorite workers just in case, a lot of the time I had dirt on the bosses, videos, screenshots voice note recordings etc.

When you have a little job security and effectively stiff arm your haters you will find all of a sudden certain rules don’t apply to you anymore and that greatly reduced the stress I felt resisting the urge to challenge co-workers to 5 championship rounds in the octagon.

exitseven · Accepted Answer

I worked at a place that was really strange. People would disappear and nobody would know what happened, My boss used to schedule meetings with me and then not show up. It felt like I was always being watched. They gave me a company cell phone and I would put it on the charger at night and would not look at it until the next day and they did not like it. After I was there 7 weeks they fired me. They could not give me a reason for firing me and they had to admit that I showed up on time every day and did everything that they asked me to.
I was actually sort of glad I got fired because I found a better job a few weeks later.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

That would mean I currently despise myself because I'm my own boss, but as far as past jobs, I used to work as a manager, and loved my management team, but they hired this one woman who had no clue what she was doing, so instead of collaborate and work on solutions as a team, she would take what we all said and claim full credit for it in meetings with our CEO. My team got sick of this, so we started to play totally clueless in meetings where she was involved, and then we'd have a side meeting where as a team, we'd come up with ideas and then go to the CEO meeting where she would be asked first, what was this or that, and she had no idea, but then the CEO would ask us, and we'd present our ideas together and SHARE credit with us. It was so great seeing the dumbfounded look on her face as she had no clue what was going on. She even confronted us about it after like the third time it happened implying that she should be told what's going on. We were like, to what are you referring? LOL, it was great! She eventually quit, so it worked out in the end.

DishLady · Accepted Answer

I’m able to avoid those individuals for the most part with one or two annual exceptions.

Alli112 · Answer

I have a classmate who I don't particularly like. (Despise is a strong term, I just think her behaviors are a bit rude and unhealthy (she's the type to try and start a pissing contest over who can overwork themselves more, while you're sitting there proud to have not needed to stay after to do work the day before)). At first I just tried to be friendly/polite and get to know her a bit, sometimes people are just a bit prickly before they open up, but I guess she just doesn't like me, because I'm at the point where I just avoid engaging with her unless it's absolutely necessary 😩

rosemilk · Answer

i really can't stand one person. i ignore him. i don't look at him, ever. no eye contact, ever. i avoid him at all costs. in the hallway, quickly turn a corner. if he taps on my desk, pretend my music is too loud. i walk as far away from him as possible if i pass by him. basically i act like he doesn't exist. i'm still waiting for the day when he leaves. insider information is, he put in a job application for somewhere else that my old coworker works at a few months ago. but since no one likes him, the coworker told the company he's not great to work with. so i'm still stuck with this idiot

if this was my boss, that'd definitely be an issue. in your case, i'd just get another job

IslaTheWitch · Answer

I don't despise people... if there is no chance to solve the problem between us on our level, I notify my boss about my intent to quit and give them time to solve the problem. If it doesn't work, I quit. There are plenty of companies I can work for...

RingOfFire · Answer

I had to work with a lot of people I despised. I always dealt with it by having two modes, my personal mode and my business mode. When I was in my business mode I didn't care about their personalities, it was all about business. I focused on my career and what I wanted out of it and as long as I felt I was in a company and a position that was moving me forward to that end I took positions whether I liked the people or not.

An important business skill is to be able to work with all kinds of different people, even people you might not want to have anything to do with personally. If the position you are in has the potential to advance your career goal, just get into your business mode and don't worry about their personalities. Do what you think is best for you to reach your goals.

sawno · Answer

Nope, I'm not the kind of person who makes enemies easily and if it had gotten bad to the level I really dislike working with them it depends on the scenario. If I wouldn't enjoy going to work I'd work somewhere else. Otherwise i'd probably let it be known.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

I work with someone who is narcissistic and rather egotistical. I view that as his outer layer, look past that, and see the good that is in his heart. I also call him out on all of his self centered behavior and tell him that his perception is severely flawed.

libsaretards · Answer

I try to minimize my interactions with them. If I'm forced to interact with them, I'm the one who controls how the interaction goes. For me to despise someone at work means either they stir up work drama or they deliberately pawn work off on others. Who they are as a person does not matter to me.

In a year this will not be a problem for me.

Anonymous · Answer

Thankfully I have a job where I have no present manager or supervisor. I do whatever I want. 🖕

Massageman · Answer

Used to have that problem, but not now. I'm self-employed.

Now it's some of the "friends" from over the years that turned out to be fair-weather friends. Now that the weather gets stormy, you find out who your REAL friends are.

Mwolf · Answer

Only talk to them if needed, build "relationships" with other workers and managers so you can talk to them instead and avoid the ones you don't like.

Nikki1989 · Answer

No, we are all the best of friends.

just_a_potato · Answer

I don't despise anyone. But if someone gets on my nerves I unfortunately just deal with it. Money motivates me to block out assholes.

KostasKouvalis · Answer

"despise" is a strong word, though there were many people I wasn't particularly fond of, especially supervision and one specific co-worker

jahaims · Answer

I'm just super fake at work to get ahead. I am able to separate work and my personal life. If I'm working I'm there to earn money and nothing else. If it is advantageous to be fake at work then do so.

RavVid · Answer

Professionalism enables people to work productively with people they don't like & despise.

Peridot25 · Answer

I despise everyone at my job. I keep to myself and they do the same. If they need help, I won’t deny them help.

Sasquach · Answer

You're being paid to do a job, so focus on that. If that's not an option for you then swap jobs or request a different placement

Anonymous · Answer

I do. I just fake it. Can't stand these two women at my work who have made me want to leave my job. I'm now looking for something else.

OddBeMe · Answer

I thought starting a business would help. Now I turned one shit boss into a hundred shit bosses.

Anonymous · Answer

Man! I totally used to. SOOOO many times. . . NOT fun.

Anonymous · Answer

Grow up, act professional and do the job.

Do you work with people you despise? How do you cope with it?

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