Here’s the thing–there are definitely some people that I dislike enough to say that I don’t want to do business or work with them. Okay, that said, I can still be civil and sometimes, you just have to interact in a business setting with people you don’t like. It is a fact of the business, just as it is a fact of life.
As I tell my children, you don’t have to like everybody–in fact, you WON’T like everybody, but we do have to be civil. This doesn’t mean that we can’t express our anger or annoyance appropriately (the older I get, the more I see that expressing emotions in the business world–as long as they are appropriate–is really the good and healthy thing to do), but we really don’t always get to control every person who comes into our sphere in a day’s time. When you are in business for yourself, you might have a little more control over your work environment, but you will still have customers, clients, vendors, and colleagues who really rub you the wrong way. The trick is, can you still work with them?
I can do just about anything in the short term. As long as the person isn’t the personification of evil and I can own up to my own part in the bad chemistry, I can focus on the job that needs to be done. For me, I do have to minimize contact and find ways to focus on being professional–but I can do business with people I don’t like, at least for the short-term. I try to think of it like having neighbors or sitting next to someone on a long flight–everything is temporary and by focusing on what needs to be done and getting through it, instead of on the things I’m not liking, I can be civil and “deal” as my kids like to say. How about you?
Also: If You Really, Really Hate It, Don’t Do It
Finding Like-Minded Colleagues