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Colleagues: neither friend nor foe, but how?

At the very dawn of my career, my young boss said in the department: "There is no friendship at work." We had a cool team of yesterday's students and it was difficult to accept this thesis - we all looked more like classmates or garage brothers looking into a bright future. Romance! However, after the change of the company's top management, we had to find out that the boss is damn right - and each of us has become a different, just a colleague, a competitor, someone could not stand it and left ... 12 years have passed. I managed to be the boss, changed 5 official jobs and about the same number of unofficial ones, and, it seems, I know what kind of colleagues there are. Do you know?


I want to start with a simple thesis - all people. And what they are at work is determined by the influence of the family, education, needs to maintain a job, mood, marital status, health status and an endless list of factors. This is by no means an attempt to justify those who are not very or to highlight those who are good - this is just a reminder that in society we have to communicate, find compromises and look for approaches - there’s no way with the program, the settings You’ll fit in and don’t disable the functions.

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So.

What kind of colleagues are there?


Good ones 


Ordinary employees who know how to work have little conflict, do not make them hate and do not cause a desire to leave the office where they entered. Representatives of this group are present in almost all companies - these are just the Atlanteans on whose shoulders the work in the company rests.

Mentors and Mentors


What are they like?


These guys have accumulated a lot of knowledge and practice, they feel comfortable inside the company’s business, but they lack self-realization, there is an urgent need to be needed and in demand. They are ready to share information, educate colleagues (both old and new), conduct internal trainings, lectures, and question-answer sessions. Sometimes their altruism and initiative is perceived by the team and leadership as a desire to show off and score points. However, this is not so - it is precisely the desire to share knowledge that motivates experienced colleagues, in many respects in order to make the work better and more comfortable for themselves to work with those who are “educated” in their coordinate system.    

And if old employees can resist training and not want to go beyond the boundaries of work duties, then newcomers need such support - there is nothing better when a colleague approaches you in the absence of a mentoring company and says: “Let's go to the meeting room, I'll tell you, what and how. ”  


An owl is a self-confident mentor who does not particularly pay attention to his mistakes and does not even suspect them. Always ready to help, give advice and even do the work for someone.

How to find a common language?


Finding a common language with this type of colleague is quite simple.

  • Recognize their authority, occasionally ask questions about work and show interest in their knowledge - then they will turn mountains for you and save any project.
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Confident Professionals


What are they like?


Experienced specialists who know their own worth, do an excellent job and are ready to answer questions and take tasks in almost all related areas. As a rule, these are strategists, visionaries who perceive the activities of the company and the product as a whole and are ready to bring ideas and implement these ideas to increase profitability. They are laconic or mostly joking in response to some everyday and talkative topics. Such colleagues willingly come to the rescue, but are more likely to help you do the job or do it quickly for you, than explain to you how to do it later and share your chips and professional secrets. 

Such colleagues are often prone to criticizing someone else's work, but usually follow the basic rule of "criticize - offer." Oddly enough, most often they do not seek to occupy a leadership position (for example, because of side projects or plans for their work). Nevertheless, they can be more authoritative and influential than managers (for which they often have problems and even lose their jobs). They have nothing to fear: other companies usually hear about such specialists, who, in the case of updating the resume, will line up.

How to find a common language?


Communication with these guys is based on mutual respect and respect for personal distance. 

  • Do not take time with empty talk about life, do not retell gossip and rumors. As a rule, professionals simply have no time to deal with these meaningless issues.
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These colleagues were excellent students and olympiadniki at school, then studied at the same two higher, received two honors, during their studies at the university managed to write a couple of dozen scientific papers and publications, played sports “What? Where? When? ”, And then became disillusioned with science, realized where the money was, dropped out of graduate school and went to work for the company. Thanks to such a past, perfectionism is developed in them, they are often quite slow in work or, on the contrary, perform tasks as from an automaton - simply because their brain thinks and finds solutions very quickly. On large and complex tasks they can come into conflict with everyone at once and sit with the appearance of an outcast leader. Sometimes, these retirement colleagues are like smart children who, at the age of three, talk about world politics because they watch the news and remember the words of adults.

These guys have a significant weakness: encyclopedic erudition is not equal to professionalism. They may know B. Shaw’s birth date, distinguish the hippocampus from the hypothalamus, the flu from the coronavirus, grinding from honing, but they don’t understand at all how the program works on the client side and what project management is. However, the leader can always direct such a person in the right direction and use his unique memory and mind for business purposes.

How to find a common language?


In principle, they are one of the most contact colleagues: they are cool to joke, easily join any conversation, change themes and like to be in the center of events (even if they play a dark introvert).

  • Talking to them on common topics, asking questions, listening to answers - sometimes this is more interesting than any lecture or broadcast.
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This is an extremely complex type, which can belong to everyone: from a junior tester to the CEO. At first glance, it seems that these are simple guys and girls who have a humorous attitude to any situation, laugh and wrap any event in a positive direction. It’s good, easy, interesting with them - complete comfort of interaction.

Often a "clown" is just a mask, which hides a tremendous nervous and emotional stress. This is how their defensive reaction works. As a rule, their behavior does not affect professional activities. The only weak point of these guys is the ability to suddenly fall into deep apathy and even depression. In such states, they turn out to be passive and slow, it is difficult to work with them. Pressure on such colleagues during the burnout period is fraught with scandals and resentment. Since the team does not expect this from the "clown", conflicts can go as far as dismissal.

How to find a common language?


Be extremely careful with such colleagues - they can hide anything under the mask: from a vulnerable soul to excessive bitterness and fatigue.

  • Work with them in projects - these are reliable guys and, as a rule, good specialists.
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They came to this company when you were still in college, at school or not born. They have been working for a long time, they know everything from the names of the children of all employees to the features of the most complex business process. This may be the chief engineer, lead developer, director for ...., accountant, HR manager - almost anyone. As a rule, this employee can be suddenly attracted both to the organization of a corporate party and to the development of a new product strategy (even if it is HR). Relations with colleagues of this type of employee are based on authority, “fatherly” censure and knowledge of everything about everyone. Sometimes they are called "mother / father of the office."

As a rule, such people are on a short leg with a leader, they are listened to. It is they who can help if it comes to reduction, dismissal and other problems at work. Moreover, they have fairly broad industry ties and can help with employment in the event of a transition to a new job.

How to find a common language?


  • Respect, consult, communicate, and help if possible. They have "grown" so many that they enjoy the elementary gratitude and decent attitude.
  • Do not be shy to ask a question and a problem, ask for protection.
  • To include in the project teams and in all large, strategic discussions - their experience will not allow you to make "children's" mistakes. 


The bad 


I will talk about these guys briefly. By the way, there are no uniquely bad and good employees and someone who is bad for you may be the ideal mentor and authority for your colleague. However, if you see the following manifestations of character, try to be alert. 

Whiners are employees who do not like everything forever: their salaries have not been raised much, the product is worthless, promotion is at zero, salespeople are loafers, programmers have gone completely useless, and yet my neck hurts, my son is aching and twins. They constantly complain about working conditions, clients, colleagues, they are annoyed by everything that is around. Typically, this behavior is due to internal dissatisfaction with oneself and one's life. In general, they are harmless, but they can spoil the mood pretty much.

Controllers- colleagues who control your work, climb into all tasks, track everything: from how long you chatted with your mother on the phone to why you knock on the keys at a different speed than usual (real claim!). Do not confuse such controllers with micro-managers, they are interested in your work in terms of the profitability of their company. Employee controllers are trying to catch you on something, to prove that you are worse than him and can not cope with the work. These need to be put in place. 

Revolutionaries- employees who instead of work are trying to expose the boss, to prove to everyone that the company, in principle, is going to hell and will soon fall apart. They create appeals and appeals on corporate portals, collect signatures, urge them to go to the head of the group in order to defend their momentary interest. They are right - that’s the point. You should not join such, especially if they fan a problem from scratch.

Pussies and licking are harmless, but terribly annoying guys. They are affectionate and friendly with everyone, they will always find something to praise in you and in the boss, always with a smile. They are dangerous because an external flattery may conceal a lack of work or some insidious plan. Do not try to expose them - everyone understands everything. 

Hassle catalysts- colleagues and managers who like to push their foreheads together, organize a conflict in a company or department, and thus throw out their negative mood. As a rule, they have no benefit, just a bad character. In no case do not get involved in such conflicts, stay away from provocateurs as far as possible. If the matter directly concerned your work or your personality, respond calmly and competently - do not give pleasure to such colleagues.

Self-possessed- colleagues to whom only they are important. They will call everyone to help, take away all your time, put them to work on their computer and will not let go until you solve their problems. At the end of the working day they cheerfully report on the work done and go home, and you will sit and finish your tasks, the time for which was lost. The advice is simple: learn to say no and help briefly and informatively, do not do the work for colleagues.  

Fanatics- employees who are ready to sing the company’s anthem, embroider the coat of arms and learn a special march. What is bad, you ask? As a rule, these actions mask the lack of real work. Such employees look reproachfully at others who do not share the idea of ​​morning chants. How so, you are not a patriot of our LLC Romashka Trade? How can you? Their fanaticism, but into the mainstream ... The harm is that they make their decisions at a high level and now the whole company takes part in a survey about the softness of chairs, writes fairy tales for the New Year's corporate event and votes for the hymn version. A lot of fuss and imitation - zero sense.

The rules for communicating with “bad” colleagues are simple.


  • Do not join them and do not get fooled by their provocations.
  • Do not complain about them and do not organize their persecution - they will show themselves as not necessary.
  • Do not allow yourself to work for them.
  • Learn the word no.
  • Do not get involved in conflicts.  


Angry


Evil employees are not bad employees, these are altered states of good ones. At some point, a breakdown occurs and they may seem conflicting, toxic, harmful. In fact, they are tired, burnt out or feel that they are underestimated. With the proper approach, you can not only work cool with them, but also return them to the “good” mode. By the way, leaders are often evil, especially if too many tasks have fallen on their shoulders. 

Hyperprofessionals


What are they like?


They know their business from A to Z, they can work in any company of their profile in almost any position, but they are super loyal and work in their current team, because for them both the products and services of the company are a huge part of the soul, brain, life. It can be young children and experienced employees - that is the case when experience and knowledge decide, not age. Such guys are often called gurus or geniuses. They do not want to engage in managerial work or be a yap-evangelist; everyone is listening to them anyway.

Oddly enough, it is precisely such employees who are most vulnerable and vulnerable, since they are accustomed to hyper responsibly treat their duties. They seem toxic and unpleasant, because they often criticize someone else's work or silently remake it. In this case, literally all their actions are to the benefit of the company.


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Any of the above types may fall into this group, since burnout does not select a character. Most often, two categories burn out: employees who work extremely intensively and employees who have many problems outside their work. Both of them have the same symptoms: routine tasks, reduced labor intensity, failure to meet deadlines, conflict, inadequate reactions (for example, they can get up and leave the meeting, even if the CEO is sitting in front of them). This is not rudeness and not a form of protest - it is a loss of self-awareness within the team, their need for work, their professional competencies. This situation can be described as working depression. 

Burnt out employees are uncommunicative, often cutting and secretive. Often, such a transformation of a colleague can cause panic in the team and spread the mood further: well, it’s not without reason that a previously cool and sensible colleague choked!


Donkey Eeyore - a typical burnt employee who sees the reasons for depression in any fact. Due to his mental state, he is a little distracted and reflective. Seeks communication, but partially avoids it. Being smart, he tries to find positive moments even in not the most pleasant events in order to get out of the peak of work.

How to find a common language?


  • Do not crush, do not threaten, do not complain about them. At the time of burnout, an employee may quit at the first force. Everyone will feel sorry, including him - but most often they cannot turn back.
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Typical heroes and antiheroes of labor of two types: heroes - those who really know how to plug any hole in the work of a company or unit, real people orchestras; and antiheroes - those who imitate violent activity and shout that everything is on them, but in fact they don’t really do anything. Heroes are able to complete one hundred tasks at the same time, quickly switch between processes and help almost every employee. It is easy to recognize an antihero - he is always busy and it’s almost impossible to get any feedback or help from him. Heroes are usually busy and harsh, because they have practically no minute; antiheroes, on the other hand, are funny and active - you don’t need to talk a lot about your over-employment :-)

How to find a common language?


First of all, you need to determine the "form" - a hero or an antihero.

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The saddest type of staff. They can be called real losers: educated, competent, efficient, they remain literally invisible. It seems to such employees that they are not noticed, that they are fighting and screaming through a thick glass wall, but their efforts to the team and the company are not needed. Indeed, their work goes unnoticed, their proposals are not heard, their tasks are the most mundane and unclaimed. 

The problem is usually in the positioning of the employee himself: he does not declare himself, about his achievements, is in the shadows and extremely insecure. At the same time, they are often smart employees, if only because they work more and are immersed in the business, without wasting time on informal communication with colleagues.


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  • Find a unique trait in a colleague and exploit it, making it an exclusive obligation (maybe he writes test plans well, knows English or is wonderfully preparing documentation). He will have confidence that he needs it in this matter. 

Communicating with employees and colleagues, you can adhere to this classification, you can create your own and your own recipes for communication - you may be a subtle psychologist and an excellent communicator. But at the beginning of interaction it is always worthwhile to stop for 15 seconds and look at yourself: often the source of successful or conflict interaction lies in ourselves. In short, the main thing is not to be assholes.

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