I logged into my email from home the other day to see a message from a colleague. The message basically came to the assumption that I had not been doing my job as was asked of me. The assumption was totally incorrect and based on incomplete information coming from someone who should not be making these type of calls.
While normally I try to keep a cool composure about such emails, this time I have reached boiling point. I have reached a level of anger which I don’t often reach. While I would normally think of how I could resolve the situation with out much conflict, for some reason this time I want to retaliate. I want to argue my case, I want to get the load off my chest, while at the same time inflicting the most negative emotions which I can summon up.
Strangely enough this has me concerned about a few things.
Job Security
If I can’t be trusted in my job by other staff members, sooner or later this will cause issues for my job. I am one of those people that doesn’t work well having people standing over my shoulder. I am a very quick and efficient worker. I do the job in a short time, and do it at a professional quality. Having someone stand over my shoulder makes me feel inadequate and like I’m standing in front of a firing squad. It is not beneficial to my work. It is extremely distracting. But probably the biggest issue is that it makes me feel like quiting.
Working Friendships
Once you have one person off your side, it can easily cause issues to the other friendships with your co-workers. I love where I work. I love the people, and I love the job we do. It concerns me greatly that some people are so shallow as to not ask adequate questions before jumping to conclusions. I hate the feeling of having everyone off your side because of colleague telling everyone you don’t do your job.
5 ways to deal with ignorant people at work
While my concerns may be valid, it still leaves me asking one serious question of myself. Am I really dealing with the situation in the best possible way? It can’t be good for me to be bottling up this hidden resentment. So what do you do? How do you deal with people that just trigger a nerve?
I’ve done a bit of searching and here are 5 ways which you can deal with the ignorant people in your life in ways that let you go about your day in peace.
1. Ignore Them
This may or may not be the best solution. However one way to deal with those annoying people is to just not give their comments any time.
When you receive an email from someone who does not know what their talking about, just push it to the back of your mind. Don’t let it get to you. Go and do something else to distract you from the situation. But whatever you do DON’T RESPOND.
If you respond to an email sent to you, it is likely that you will write something which reflects badly on yourself. If you confront them you will likely get into an argument. It is much better for you to go away and calm down, and then not dignify the email with any form of response.
2. Talk to a Friend
One of the most effective ways to not let annoying or ignorant people get to you is to talk to a close friend. Tell them everything that’s going on. Yes I do mean everything! All the emotions your going though. All the stress your under. What you feel like doing in response. Sometimes the advice of a close friend is more valuable than you could ever imagine.
As humans we very much make decisions based on what other people do or say. If you have a friend who will level with you. Who will tell you the situation how it is, then you will be fine. Even the act of getting the pressure off your chest is hugely beneficial.
3. Be Kind
Ok, I know you read that and you started to cringe at the thought. However ignorant people are not bad people, they are just not well informed. They don’t know any better. So be kind to them. They can’t help their situation. It’s not their fault they have trouble keeping informed. Give them a hand, and bring them up to speed on the situation.
Not only will being kind make you feel better in the long run, but it is likely that you will place your self in a good spot with the person. If you are kind to them it will be amazing how this might change their attitude towards you. Even if it doesn’t stop them being ignorant or annoying, it much just take the edge off the situation.
4. Do an amazing job.
Sure if one person keeps making uninformed judgements or decision it can be a little off-putting. But you can use that emotion to do a better job. If you become better at your current job everyone else in your workplace will appreciate your work and will automatically not take the comments of the person on board.
If you do your job well enough you may even be promoted into a position where you no longer have to worry about what that person says. Don’t let their comments ever hold you back from doing the best job you can!
5. Tell them your problem
Ok so this might be a little nerve wracking. But if everything else fails you should calmly and politely them your problem. Tell them that they don’t understand the situation and that they need to stop speaking before finding out information.
Sometimes ignorant people just don’t know they are being rude. If nothing works then you do need to tell them. Who knows they may even appreciate you doing so. However if they are not appreciative don’t take it to heart. You won’t have lost a friend, but you will feel much better for telling them.
Whatever method you go with, it is important that you find a solution. It is not healthy to build up unwanted anger or resentment. You will be a happier person, and you will feel much more secure in your workplace.
If you have any other suggestions I would love to hear them. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think.
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Photo credit, rstrawser
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
nice advice mate and healthy 5 steps thanks for that .
i may add a step i do if i know that the person means what he is doing is by
annoying him back usually in the same way he acted (without being mad or mean)so he feels what i felt .
now he may understand and stop it or get mad and act nerviously or phisically where i think im winning in both results .
please let me know your advice on that
this is all good and well ive been using about the same steps for the last eight years and when the person is your boss it makes for a very difficult time and im beging to think that its best to move on and a peice of advice to anyone who is just starting at a job where this is happening just get out right away because your never going to get some one to proactively learn who doesnt already do it
It’s not always the best thing to talk to a friend, according to this research
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100401085344.htm
You know whats funny too,
Is when you have a boss is younger than you and uses his title as if he knows everything god knows, and never admites his mistakes, this makes him should be shipped back you know where.
people who are ignorants is part of their problem, the other half of the problem is those who allows them to continue to move on with their lifes with out correcting it or offer to turn them into normal people.