Every work place has them…
…those that dismisses team members' ideas; the individual that takes credit for someone’s efforts, and those other really annoying co-workers who make any form of productivity difficult.
Yes you know that you should just ignore them but lets face it, there are but then you just get days you want to sellotape them to their chair and throw them in the liftshaft for a couple of days….
Below are 6 examples of those whose irritating behaviour and annoying attitudes prevent us from having effective relationships at work.
Can you spot any of them? Worse still, can you spot if you are one of them yourself?!
1. The Naysayer
More effective than a Russian surface to air missile, this office dweller delights in shooting down anyone’s ideas.
Even during "blue sky" brainstorming sessions, where all suggestions are to be embraced with an open mind, the Naysayer immediately rejects any proposal that challenges the status quo, makes them look bad, or is simply a better idea than they could have ever dreamt of.
Perhaps you can get your own back by rejecting their ideas for their next promotion?
2. The Spotlight Stealer
They love the limelight so much they should, quite frankly, be on X-Factor.
There is definitely an "I" in "team" according to this glory seeker, who tries to take full credit for any team efforts and impress those above in the corporate chain. This overly ambitious corporate climber never heard a good idea he wouldn't “borrow” and then pass off as his own.
Clearly they have never heard of the words “stealing” and “lying”.
3. The Buzzwordsmith
This person has clearly never heard of the Plain English Campaign.
Whether speaking or writing, the Buzzwordsmith is happy to sacrifice clarity in favour of showing off their extensive vocabulary of business cliches.
This ineffective communicator loves to "utilize" (never just "use") industry-specific jargon and obscure acronyms that are about as clear as a muddy otter in a brown river. Their favourite buzzwords include "synergistic," "actionable," "monetize," “facilitate” and "paradigm shift."
If you have a Collins Dictionary at hand, you should give it to them; preferably full in the face.
4. The Inconsiderate Emailer
Pointless email alert!
Addicted to the "reply all" function, this "cc" supporter clogs all our already-overflowing inboxes with completely pointless messages. This person also marks less-than-critical emails as "high priority" and sends enormous attachments the size of Canada, that then crash the unwitting recipients' computers.
You will save yourself about 3 hour’s worth of grief simply by not opening any emails you get from this person.
5. The Interrupter
For some of us, this person is not just a pet peeve; they are more like a kennel of irritation.
The Interrupter has no regard for anyone’s peace, quiet or concentration. When this person is not entering your work area to request immediate life or death help, the Interrupter is in meetings loudly tapping on their desk/laptop/chair, taking calls on their mobile at high volume or starting way off-topic side conversations about nothing in particular.
Headphones should be standard issue kit for any of us forced to work with this type of person; that or alcohol.
6. The Stick in the Mud
You are here to work!
This person is all business all of the time. Disapproving of any attempt at humour, this constant killjoy doesn't have any fun at work and doesn't think you should either. They are usually to be found with a furrowed brow, tutting heavily at any mention of social life, weekends or holidays.
Memo to this person: lighten up and GET A LIFE!
We have listed the qualities that make the above individuals very irritating, in the hope that you will be able to avoid them at all costs.
But are there any other types of annoying co-workers that we might have missed?
Why not let us know in the comments?
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