High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 10 Tips to Make 2019 Your Year

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 10 Tips to Make 2019 Your Year:"In the YouEconomy, expertise is your chief commodity. Take an hour this weekend to list out all your areas of expertise, and brainstorm a few ways you can develop each of them further."

• What to do When You're Struggling to Get Motivated: "Instead, the problem usually boils down to confidence. For one reason or another, people don't believe they'll succeed, so they never get started."

• How to Deal with Office Conflict: "Addressing conflicts and working to find mutual goals, together, is the best way to handle clashes and even find ways to collaborate more deeply."

• 5 Books to Read if You Want to Be More Productive: "Sometimes the obvious solution is also the best: Delete the apps from your phone. If everybody did, we’d reduce an incremental creep that makes it harder and harder to resist social pressure."
• 5 Biggest Misconceptions about Remote Work: "the idea of remote work does not appeal to every individual and corporation, partially due to some persisting misconceptions about this kind of work arrangement."

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Stressed Out at Work?

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• Stressed Out at Home? Stop Doing These 5 Things at Home: "The way to maintain your sanity is to find a few specific things you can stop doing at home to take off a bit of pressure. And then, when things calm down — maybe don’t start doing them again."

• 5 Ways to Reduce Work-Related Stress: "While one might think a vacation could be a good cure for this, many people feel pressure to work during their time off. According to the survey, 33 percent of women and 26 percent of men say their bosses expect them to work during vacation."

• 5 Steps to Resolve Work Conflicts Before They Get Personal: "At the root of many of these issues is a simple, common problem: miscommunication. At work as in life, it comes in many forms."

• The 10 Commandments of Effective Communication: "To communicate in a way that others understand, you have to learn what's on their minds, first. That's why listening is so important."
• What to do When Work Stress (Literally) Makes You Sick: "Take inventory of your own stress touch points, and set boundaries that feel right to you. Try removing your phone from your bedroom entirely, which can take away the temptation to check in early or late and allows melatonin to work its magic."

Dealing with an Incompetent Co-Worker

Whether you’re a long-time employee or a student who has participated in group assignments, chances are you’ve experienced the frustration and maybe even detrimental effects of working with someone who is incompetent. In many workplace situations, your performance and success can be directly linked to that of a co-worker. So when incompetency rears its ugly head—perhaps in the form of substandard work or missed deadlines—the results can lead to stress and a bigger workload. While every situation is different and there is no one-size-fits-all solution for dealing with incompetence, the following advice may help.

First, Go to the Source

Initially, the fair and professional approach involves trying to resolve the problem directly with the co-worker whose incompetency is a concern. Keep an open mind and approach him/her with honesty and the goal of solving the issue in a way that benefits all parties concerned, including the organization. Keep the conversation fact-based. Cite examples of how certain actions or a lack of action have impacted the project and/or your ability to complete your work successfully. Keep your emotions in check; never be demeaning or disrespectful to your co-worker(s).

Give your co-worker an opportunity to share his/her perspective, and remember, you may not be aware of all the factors influencing your co-worker’s actions. For example, other responsibilities may have produced an unrealistic workload that is preventing your co-worker from putting forth his/her best effort.

By going to your co-worker first, you create a more positive environment for resolving issues and you increase your chances of keeping the working relationship intact.

If Necessary, Engage Your Manager

If the problem remains even after you’ve tried to resolve the issue directly with your co-worker and allowed ample time to let positive change occur, the next step is to engage your manager for guidance. Now, it is even more important that you keep the conversation focused on facts and concrete examples rather than opinions and personality traits. Only mention those things that are jeopardizing the success of the project and your ability to do your best work. Conduct the conversation in private and extend any productive suggestions you might have. Be mindful that you don’t want to come across as whining, tooting your own horn, or having trouble getting along with others.

Five Ways to Deal with Difficult Co-workers

If you are a full-time employee, you see some of your co-workers more than you see your best friend or spouse. When you put so many different personalities together, it is inevitable that there will be some people that do not get along. There are many different reasons; they may be a bully, a negative person, or a gossip. No matter the situation you face, how you handle it can impact your work environment and ultimately your work satisfaction.

Have a plan and be prepared
If you have to deal regularly with an argumentative or negative person, be proactive. When faced with a situation for which we are unprepared, we are likely to act on instincts and strike back or become angry. Don’t react to conflict emotionally, be professional and non-confrontational.

When you decide to confront the problem, talk through the issue with the person in terms of facts, not feelings. Clearly define the issue and your desired outcome and write it down so you stay on track during the discussion.

Don’t be a part of the problem
When we are attacked, our instinct is to protect ourselves. However, hostile people who are confrontational often thrive on controversy and tension. Don’t play their game and fuel their fire. You need to be the more mature and professional person. If you react only with kindness and positive comments, they will tend to leave you alone to work in peace.

Identify people who tend to create problems and try to steer clear of them. Ensure your interaction with these people stays professional and focused solely on the work environment. Do not engage in negative banter, gossip, or criticism of the boss – no matter what kind of day you may be having.

Try to see their point of view
Sometimes you need to ask yourself, is there a reason this person is being so difficult or has a bad attitude? Maybe they are having marital, money, or health problems. Although these issues don’t excuse a bad attitude, they may explain it.

It is possible they are not aware of how they are perceived or that they come across negatively. Talk with them and show them kindness and understanding. Attempt to see things from their point of view and you may be able to solve the problem for yourself and for them.

Know when to seek support
If you have tried all the suggestions with no success, you may need to involve a neutral third party. This person will serve as a mediator who will listen to both sides of the story and help find a middle ground. Go into this conversation with an open mind and try your best to work as a team. Never have a discussion with a difficult co-worker in front of other workers, always have the discussion behind closed doors. If this does not work, it may be time to get your supervisor involved.

Know when to say when
We are bound to have occasional disagreements when interacting with people every day. If the problem can not be resolved, you have a decision to make. If your productivity and work performance is negatively affected, either you or your co-worker needs to move on to a new department or find a new job.