How to deal with the five most negative co-workers

SO you're back at work and everyone around you won't stop complaining about it. Sick of the negativity? Here's how to deal with the Debby-downers at work.

Arrghhh! Everything!!!

HAS everyone in your office complained about returning to work this week?

We know it sucks, but all that whingeing and whining can take a serious toll on how you feel and how productive you are at work.

And while the end of holidays can leave us feeling a little down, there are some people who love to bring the negative vibes to work all year round (you know who they are).

Here are some of the most common negative workplace personalities and some tips on how to effectively deal with them, according to Mashable.

1. The Bad News Bears

These guys revel in the negative. They can't wait to tell you about a mistake your colleague made, that the boss is furious or a client is annoyed.

These venting sessions are unproductive and incredibly draining on you. Plus they're just bloody annoying.

Solution:

If there's a real issue here, deal with it, then walk away. Help them to find a suitable solution to the problem. Even just point them in the right direction.

Mostly these guys just want to have a good old whinge, in which case, exit the conversation gracefully (and quickly). Quick getaway phrases such as "I have an urgent email/phone call I need to attend to" or "I have a looming deadline" are good ones to use.

2. The Gossip Mongers

Some people love to gossip. Let them know you're not interested in silly rumours.

It's just like high school, except everyone's wearing suits.

In a corporate environment, it can often seem like the rumours never stop. Someone's going to be fired, hired, promoted or made redundant.

Gossipers love stirring the rumour pot and creating worst-case scenario situations.

Solution:

Gossipers don't care about facts. So the next time you hear someone pedalling an outrageous rumour, push them for real answers: "That sounds pretty ridiculous. Is that really true? Who did you hear that from?"

They'll back down and realise pretty quickly that you're not one to engage in frivolous chatter. Another strategy is to play dumb - if you seem disinterested or have no information to offer them, they'll move on.

"I heard Sam's looking for a new job and the boss just found out. What do you think will happen?". Just shrug and say, "I'm not sure, I can't help you with that one. Sorry".

If they push you for more, don't be afraid to establish your personal boundaries. "I don't really like to talk office politics, plus it's not really any of my business".

3. The Drama Queens (or Kings)

These spotlight-lovers love the drama and attention, and can be the most draining on their co-workers.

You know who they are: Everything bad always happens to them (and only them), they supposedly work harder and longer than anyone else and are assigned the most tedious jobs.

They're always trying to one-up any story you tell: "You think that was a bad client? Last week, I had to drive two hours to a client's house just to bring him work samples!"

The drama queen believes he or she is the only one to ever experience tedious events, and feels they're worthy of a wrath-laden rant.

Solution:

These guys are offering you bait. So don't bite. The more you react to their drama ("Oh my god, that sounds awful") the more you feed the beast.

Ignore their rants and go on about your day. Your message - "I'm not interested" - will eventually be received.

4. The Chicken Littles

Arrghhh! Everything!!!

These guys always think the sky is falling.

If you share some good news ("We landed that client!" or "We beat the competition", they'll respond with and unnecessarily pessimistic comment. "I've heard that client is a real pain" or "Yeah, but they'll just beat us again next quarter").

Solution:

Don't try to fight the negativity. It's not worth your time. Find a friendly colleague to celebrate with.

5. The Victims

Victims blame others for everything. "The boss is out to get me!". "I missed that deadline because someone in admin didn't get my paperwork in on time".

They constantly complain about everything that's happening in their lives and never take responsibility for their actions.

They believe the world is out to get them. And boy, they love to talk about it.

Solution:

Let the person know that you work better in a positive environment. Make it about you, not them.

"That's not great. But tell me about something that's been going well for your lately".

You can also ask them what they could have done to avoid the situation - "That sucks. How do you reckon you can avoid that next time?"

By helping them focus on the positive future, you'll defer the conversation from away from negative chat.

###