How do you deal with a difficult personality at work?
Sarah Garza
Updated on April 02, 2026
9 Useful Strategies to Dealing with Difficult People at Work
- Be calm.
- Understand the person’s intentions.
- Get some perspective from others.
- Let the person know where you are coming from.
- Build a rapport.
- Treat the person with respect.
- Focus on what can be actioned upon.
- Ignore.
How do you tell an employee they are not as good as they think they are?
Here are some tips for handling this conversation with ease.
- Put Aside Any Negative Feelings.
- Don’t Assume Bad Intent.
- Address It Early (and Privately)
- Reflect on the Person’s History.
- Consider Your Own Role.
- Ask Thoughtful Questions.
- Give Examples (But Avoid Being Accusatory)
- Keep an Eye on Their Progress.
How do you tell an employee they are difficult to work with?
10 Ways to Deal with Difficult Employees
- Critique Behavior, Not People.
- Listen to Feedback.
- Give Clear Direction.
- Document Problematic Behavior.
- Consult the HR Department.
- Work Together Toward a Solution.
- Write Down Expectations.
- Set Specific Consequences.
When did you work with a difficult person?
A time you worked with a difficult person should no be expressed negatively rather positively. A time you worked with a difficult person. Briefly narrate how the person was ‘difficult’
How to tell me about a difficult person?
1 A time you worked with a difficult person. Briefly narrate how the person was ‘difficult’ 2 Explain the negative impact this would have caused 3 Describe how you approached the situation 4 Highlight the positive results of your involvement
Is it difficult to have difficult conversations at work?
But, for most people, holding a difficult conversation about a sensitive topic is challenging at work. These steps will help you hold difficult conversations when people need professional feedback provided professionally.
What to talk about in an interview with a difficult person?
Talk about a strategy that helps you work well with that person on an ongoing basis – This is really just explaining to your interviewer that not only did you solve the issue at hand, but you used what you learned to work with the difficult person in general (since they’re not going anywhere!)