Workplace colleagues who could make you ill (1)

Beware! Some colleagues can really make you ill.

A recent research carried out at the University of Ibadan titled ‘The predictive estimates of Psycho-Socio-Demographic variables affecting employees’ performance and psychological wellbeing in Nigeria’ has revealed that every workplace has employees who seem to create problems for others with their attitudes and sometimes unpredictable behaviours. In this piece, I have been able to identify some of these problematic colleagues and the different health problems they could cause in the work place and how you can deal with them.
They can be intimidating, back-stabbing, glory-seeking, hypocritical or complaining. Some are quietly sullen and withdrawn while others are loud and explosive. While there are many motives for such unwanted behaviour patterns, the need for power, insecurity, and fear are usually the dominant factors for their actions. Unfortunately, consistently relating with such colleagues or bosses with negative behaviour can create problems for your health. The problematic personality types you need to watch are primarily the tanks, snipers, know-it-alls, grenades, complainers and passives.

Tanks:
Tanks are like gorillas, they intimidate people simply by trying to roll over others or refusing to listen to any ideas but their own. Tanks ridicule others, are consistently poor listeners and let others know that they are in control regardless of their job title. Many colleagues make the error of letting tanks have their way rather than try to deal with what appears to be a frozen attitude. Their behaviour obviously yells “it’s either my way or nothing else”.
Experienced supervisors and colleagues know that tanks have no respect for apparent weakness. In dealing with tanks, it is necessary to become very factual, not yield on your own position but let the tank know that your ideas are equally valid.
Know-it-alls:
Know-it-alls, like tanks or gorillas, have strong needs for dominance and recognition. It is virtually impossible for them to acknowledge that they simply don’t know or understand a problem. They can be easily conquered by doing your homework and understanding the ramifications of problems better than they do. Often, know-it- alls are correct but when they are wrong, there is wisdom in you not trying to reinforce the “I told you so” reaction because you CAN NEVER win an argument with these character types. Doing the opposite only guarantees mortgaging your peace of mind which at the long run will lead to these personalities picking on you if they are your bosses or spreading ill stories about you as fellow colleagues which would most likely get at you and could lead to your early exit from the organisation of course not without varieties of stress induced ailments and fevers.
Grenades:
Grenades are people, who have a tendency to explode at any time, especially when someone challenges any statement that they make, gives them what they feel is an unfair assignment or disagrees with their point of view. They have a special way of exploding in a tirade of anger and threats when they really want appreciation. Recognition is nice but approval is the food for their egos. A thousand reasons can make these ones have outbursts.
These personality brands explode in anger more often and with little provocation than they should because they suffer from severe personal stress as well as a tactic to have their views accepted. Sadly, they often have difficulties off the job too. Their explosiveness is a reflection of the compounded stresses of both job and personal frustrations. In dealing with grenades, it is best not to respond with anger or frustration. An angry reaction may seem normal but it doesn’t work.
They need to be treated with no emotion, a great deal of positive reinforcement, factual and clear responses lest you end up inheriting their psychological ailments as well.