Are you working with a client or a co-worker whom you don’t like?

Almost everyone of us encounters such a situation at least once in lifetime. Well, this is what has happened to me lately and with so many confusions I thought to get other people’s opinion on it, so I posted a question in various Linkedin groups.

Amazingly, I received a lot of answers from people of different ethnicity/cultures, academic backgrounds, industries and of course various geographic locations. Without wasting a minute, I would like to share what they say!

1- Rejaul Haque (B2B Marketing and Sales Professional): Working with a co-worker or a client whom you don’t like has never been so easy.

There are chances high enough that neither of you could satisfy each other’s needs and everything is messed up.

But as far as the client is concerned..’Customers are always right’ and for co-workers you have to learn how to survive in adverse situation. Never deviate from the principles of teamwork and learn how deal with those kind of employees.

Never be outright or show your dislike for him/her.

2- Sam Britton (Business Development Professional): Sometime you have to deal with it,or express your concerns to move on.

3- S.Gulnaz Fatima Zaid (Business Development Professional): Positive behavior will always be helpful in this situation. Sometimes ignoring the fact that you actually dislike them brings all the positiveness.

4- Helen Winzar (Business Development Professional): Be professional and still give your 110%;

5- Philip Likos-Corbett (Freelance Writer): Be the better man, look to the end game and be polite.

6- Brandon Gerson (President at Mak & Ger): Agreed with Philip, but if it is going sour and beyond the point of turning a new leaf, you are best to cut ties as soon as possible and do it amicably. Clients are not always right and once you start losing sleep or having nightmares, that is the final indicator that a change needs to happen. Never easy, but its best to part before things continue to get worse. Good luck!

7- Richie Contartesi (Online Business Professional): If the reason why you don’t like that person is work related the best thing to do is to talk it out in a professional way and fix whatever is the problem to have a good working environment but if it’s personal matter then both of you should leave it behind and must not mix the work and personal misunderstandings.

8- Ashvini Vyas (Internet Marketing Professional): The only thing you can do is to keep calm and be professional. Avoid direct communication as and when possible.

9- Smadar Katz (Founder, Smadar Brushes Inc.): Since I actually have to paint my clients (I’m a painter specializing in commissioned portraits) – I must love them…I have no choice. You just cannot paint someone whom you dislike.

So I tell myself – “you know there’s beauty and good in every person. So come on, find it! It’s there…stop thinking, and look deeper.” It works.

10- Stanley Lee (Auto-Didact): Be diplomatic. You may never know about the future prospects of working with them in a different context.

11- Scott Cook (Copywriting Expert): I suggest attacking them. First with bomb and rockets, and then pick off the stragglers with directed rifle fire. And then release the rabid dogs to tear their rotting flesh from their bones. …or do what Stan suggested, if you have limited time 🙂

The crux that I derive out of these valuable opinions is:

• Staying positive
• Keeping personal grudges away from professional matters.
• Still if you cannot manage, discontinue the project!

Hope, it can clear the matter for you too!