Whether it's your colleague's tendency to talk too much during meetings or the way she exerts minimum effort but gets the same praise from your boss, there are just those times you wish you could exchange your teammates for people who are on your wavelength. Every workplace has its share of workers you just don't get along with, though, and if you want to build better work relationships, an article entitled "When It Comes to Work Relationships, Let It Be" on Lifehack.org says you should let go when a co-worker does something that annoys you.

"Focus on the traits that prompted you to want to work with them in the first place," author Alexandra Levit writes. "Remember that no one is perfect, and one person can be all things to all people."

She also notes the importance of compromise and teamwork. "Accept the things you don’t like, and don’t try to change them because that will only result in frustration and friction that could be perceptible to your team."

So the next time a co-worker gets on your nerves, let it go and think of what positive traits and work habits your colleague has instead. The more you let the little things annoy you, the more they will pile up and cause bigger trouble between you and your co-worker in the future.

This doesn't mean that you should tolerate it when your colleague does something wrong that affects others' work, though. Just remember that people have different working styles. If you think pointing out your co-worker's mistakes in public will only make her lash out at you and prompt a fight in front of your colleagues, for example, consider sending a gentle reminder through e-mail. The better you can adapt to the way your teammates work, the easier it will be for all of you to get along in the end.


[Click here to read "When It Comes to Work Relationships, Let It Be" on Lifehack.org]


Need help with building better work relationships with your colleagues? Check these out on FN:

• How to Handle Difficult Coworkers
• Are you the office pest?
• Bring It On: 5 Tips on Working with Rivals

(Screencap from Ugly Betty courtesy of ABC)

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