How to Nail Awkward Situations at Work

Life is full of awkward situations. It is never going to be a smooth sail all the time. Whether you are new to the office or working for years, we all have to go through those uncomfortable situations at work that hurt our feelings and make us feel out of control.

When too much of chaos suck the joy out of your workplace, you won’t be able to avoid it altogether but you can surely handle it with grace. Your workplace may be nasty in one way or the other. Let’s dig into some common ‘awkward’ situations at work and tips to help you tackle them tactfully.

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When someone takes credit for your work

One day, out of frustration, one of my team members at ProofHub said, “I work very closely giving my ideas with my colleagues in my team, but my senior always takes the word “I” instead of “we” when we have to present our ideas to our boss together.

So, how do you speak up when you are being a team player but you are not given credit for your work? To be really successful and happy, you not only need to work hard but also make sure that your name is included in the credits. Get into a conversation with your co-workers about the problem that bothers you. Make him realize how often he is saying “I” when it really should be “we”.

When you have to deal with difficult co-workers

Do you think you are working with a bully or a negative co-workers or annoying gossipers?

Unfortunately, you will have to deal with difficult co-workers everywhere. It is a bit challenging to deal with such people at work and it all depends on your professional courage at work. Do not let your co-workers undermine you, so deal with them productively. Speak up firmly, tell them whatever is on your mind and speak yourself out if you don’t like the jokes. If someone is causing you significantly daily stress after much of efforts, you might consider reporting to HR or taking up a new job.

When office politics is driving you insane

Studies and surveys regularly show that the workplace is damaging too many people, both physically and mentally. And, yes it is really hard to work happily when someone is behaving badly around you. Office politics takes an ugly toll and turn cubicles into foxholes and conference rooms into combat zones. You need to know what is working against you and what you have to avoid.

How to defend yourself?

Get the right people to like you, try being busy with doing something and strategically promote your accomplishments to prevent your haters from tearing you down. Be particular of keeping a record of everything including emails, meetings and personal interactions to win any battles against you. Understand and create a void from people who can manipulate you and bully you into getting what they want.

When you are always interrupted in the meeting

I have been dealing with many people who are often interrupted by their co-workers even before they are able to put their ideas out on the table and finish their thoughts. Of course, it’s rude and frustrating. Even your favorite co-worker may play dirty during meetings ― so be prepared. Many times you may not be able to cut off that person and at the same time, you don’t want the person continue to get away with steamrolling you. Don’t scream in frustration as this will make you look bad. Instead, let it go. Address it head-on or schedule a meeting with a senior to explain exactly what happened.

When you are overburdened with too many responsibilities

As a learner and being enthusiastic about potential growth, you say yes to every task. But at a time you realize, it’s all too much. You don’t know where to start. And you feel overburdened. Before it leads you to burnout, it is important to find the way out. The best you can do is prioritize self-care and say no when you are already occupied. Keep your boss informed of what’s already on your plate to push back when the boss tries to heap more work on you.

Final thought

In any job where the things are going upside down, you will face some serious disruptions in the rest of your life as well. Don't drag yourself to work because you want to run away from the problems, but do things to protect yourself and not let others walk on you.

Author Bio:

Vartika Kashyap is the Marketing Manager at ProofHub and has been one of the LinkedIn Top Voices in 2017. Her articles are inspired by office situations and work-related events. She likes to write about productivity, team building, work culture, leadership, entrepreneurship among others and contributing to a better workplace is what makes her click.