For many busy success-oriented New Yorkers, difficult workplace relationships are a major problem. Difficulty with your work colleagues or managers creates stress, can derail your career, and can make it more difficult to manage your emotions at work. Problematic relationships at work can spillover into your personal life, creating additional problems for you with your spouse, family, or health.
Work relationships are complicated
We spent most of our waking hours at work and have to cope with many different types of personalities. At work, you will inevitably have to deal with colleagues who regularly miss deadlines and skip doing the work that they’re responsible for. Managers can be disorganized, unsupportive, play favorites, or just plain stubborn. Work relationship challenges might include power struggles, challenging bosses, and uncomfortable conversations.
When difficult work relationships get you into trouble
Do you find that when confronted with a stressful situation at work, it is hard for you to stay calm? Do you experience angry outbursts or find yourself easily wound up?
In most cases, losing your temper and flaring out at a boss or colleague isn’t the best way to get ahead at work. Would you prefer to work with someone who remains calm, focused, in control, and centered? Colleagues who feel that you are always on edge will try and avoid working with you.
Ideally, here are the best ways to respond to workplace stress:
- Stay calm. When you remain calm you have a better chance to getting the attention and cooperation of your colleagues and managers.
- Show empathy. Show that you understand what is triggering the difficult behavior.
- Become an ally. Show that you can help your peer or boos meet his or her needs.
- Explain where you are coming from. Maybe your colleagues think that you are being the difficult one! Explaining your intentions can help your colleagues get on board with your needs and plans.
- Build rapport. Foster real human connections with the people that you work with. These connections will help you avoid and recover from difficult situations.
- Respect. If you treat your colleagues with respect, they will tend to reciprocate.
- Stay forward-focused. Focus on the actions that you and your team need to take going forward.
- Learn to ignore. You can’t fix everybody! In some cases, you just need to focus on what you can do and avoid confrontation.
In therapy, you can expect help building the skills and inner resources for effectively responding to workplace stress.
Accessible counseling for work-related relationship issues
You don’t want to lose your job. You are dependent on your manager to get the best assignments, get that promotion, and achieve your career goals. Therapy can teach you practical skills to cope with your boss and control your reactions, therefore strengthening your work relationships and reducing your stress.
At Therapy24x7, we can provide you with a safe place to talk. Discussing your experiences and reflections may give you an opportunity to see your situation in a different light and open up possibilities for reshaping your professional or work relationships. Many clients report that therapy helps them confront and heal the underlying issues and past experiences that contribute to the difficulties they are facing. Our experienced therapists can guide you in finding your own solutions to problems or help you develop better ways to manage issues long term.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one effective tool that can help you manage workplace stress. When used as part of your therapy program, we will use effective therapies to help you gain control over your thoughts and your reactions, helping you stay grounded during stressful episodes and react less aggressively when challenged.
If you want to build better work relationships so that you can meet your career goals, reach out today for an initial consultation.