How would you react if someone constantly interrupted or talked over you? Would you get angry, frustrated, or even leave the room? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be dealing with an aggressive coworker.

An aggressive person is defined as someone with a negative attitude toward others and tends to dominate conversations. They tend to speak loudly and interrupt others without giving them a chance to finish their sentences.

Aggressive behavior is often associated with anger management issues. To cope with such situations effectively, it helps to identify the underlying causes of aggression. This article explains why some people become aggressive and offers ways to deal with aggressive coworkers.

1. Don’t overreact or lash out.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make is letting passive-aggressive behaviors and personalities become too much for us to handle. And while there are times when lashing out is appropriate, doing so without thinking about how it might affect others is only sometimes the best course of action.

“When we overreact to aggressors, we end up making ourselves feel worse,” says an author. “They don’t like being around us, so they lash out. They think we’re mean. We’re just reacting emotionally.”

The author suggests taking time away from the situation to gain perspective. This way, you can keep your cool and take a moment to consider how to respond.

2. Rise above it.

If you get upset by a coworker’s behavior, try to rise above it. It may help to remind yourself that you have more important things to do than to spend all day battling with this person.

“It’s not worth spending your whole day arguing with someone,” says an expert. “It’s better to move on and focus on what really matters in life.”

Sometimes, you need to walk away. You should still leave the office even if your boss doesn’t agree. You want to avoid losing your job because of something that could easily be fixed.

You can usually resolve conflicts peacefully and calmly if you stay calm and avoid escalating the situation.-separated list of files to process, one per line.

3. Keep in mind that you are not alone.

Remember that you aren’t the only person affected by an aggressive coworker’s actions. Reminding yourself that everyone else feels uncomfortable will help you maintain your composure.

“You can’t control everything, but you can control your reactions,” says an HR professional. “That means focusing on the positive rather than the negative.”

Try to remain optimistic, and remember that most people are good-natured. It’s easy to get caught up in the drama of interpersonal relationships, but most people want to be happy. So instead of letting unkind words bother you, choose to see the bright side of things.

Try not to let the conflict escalate into an argument. Instead, try to explain your point of view to the person directly. That way, you can both learn from the experience and come to an understanding.

4. Don’t take it personally

Of course, sometimes, an aggressive coworker’s behavior is directed toward you specifically. When that happens, it can be hard to tell whether they’re trying to hurt you or vent their frustration.

There are several reasons why a coworker might lash out at you. Sometimes, a coworker has been mistreated by another manager or supervisor. Other times, they struggle with personal issues such as depression or anxiety.

Regardless of the reason, it’s never okay to treat coworkers badly. If you notice that your coworker seems to be treating you poorly, speak up immediately. Don’t allow yourself to be treated unfairly.

To ensure you avoid accidentally causing any problems for yourself, ask your boss about policies regarding workplace bullying. Refrain from assuming your boss will support you if you report a coworker behaving inappropriately.

Many companies now offer training on how to deal with difficult situations. Asking for help from HR professionals can also be beneficial.

5. Use emotional detachment

When dealing with an aggressive coworker, it’s important to keep emotions in check. Otherwise, you run the risk of making things worse. Try to think rationally so that you can respond appropriately.

This approach allows you to objectively assess the situation without getting emotionally involved. Once you’ve figured out what needs to happen next, you can decide how best to handle the issue.

Remind yourself that this isn’t real life if you feel you’re going crazy. There’s no chance that someone will physically attack you. In reality, you’ll probably have to work with this person again.

If you feel upset, take a few deep breaths and focus on something else. You may even need to leave the office temporarily to clear your head.

Talk to your boss about the problem. They should be able to give you some advice on how to proceed.

6. Remember, it’s temporary.

You might think quitting your job is the best thing to do now, but it sometimes turns out differently. Sutton says that most people stay at their current position longer than expected. This is because we overestimate how long things will take to change.

If you find yourself stuck in a rut, consider what you could do about it. You can leave your job immediately. Instead, try to figure out why you’re unhappy and address those issues.

For example, maybe your coworkers are making you uncomfortable, or your boss isn’t communicating well. You can make changes that will lead to greater satisfaction and better performance by addressing these problems.

7. Look at the Bigger Picture.

While it’s tempting to look only at the immediate situation when dealing with aggressive coworking, it’s often helpful to look at the bigger picture. For instance, there could be other factors contributing to your dissatisfaction.

Perhaps your boss has yet to communicate effectively with you. Or maybe your coworkers need to do more to show respect. It’s not fair to blame one specific factor.

It’s also worth considering whether your coworker’s behavior is really bad. Is it just a misunderstanding? Maybe they have a legitimate point.

In any case, if you want to improve the quality of your working relationship, it’s essential to look at the big picture. Do this by thinking about how your coworker’s s actions affect you.

After all, it’s unlikely that their behavior will change overnight. So, you could get used to it and learn to live with it.

8. Remain calm

Maintaining composure is essential in any situation, but it is more crucial when dealing with a confrontation head-on. Maintain a reasonable volume, avoid raising your voice, showing signs of frustration, or forgetting to breathe regardless of how strongly you feel about the subject matter.

Calming breathing exercises can be useful tools to have on hand during times of intense stress and conflict.

The practice of mindful breathing has been shown to reduce blood pressure and promote mental calm. Refocusing one’s thoughts induces a sensation of physical relaxation. Do some experimenting and see what works best for you so that you always have a solution on hand.

9. Be firm

When dealing with someone who seems to be aggressive, it’s important to stay firm. If you let your emotions get the best of you, you could lose control and say something you regret later.

Instead, remember to stand strong and stick to your guns. Don’t back down from your opinion or reason. Remember, you’re trying to resolve the issue peacefully and calmly.

If you feel like you’ve lost control, ask your coworker to explain themselves further so that you can understand where they are coming from. Then, politely tell them that you’ll need to go ahead and leave if you can’t agree.

This should give you space to cool off and return to the table with a clear head.

Conclusion

The best way to deal with aggressive coworkers is to ignore them completely. However, this approach will only sometimes work because sometimes people can’t take a hint.

So, instead, try to identify the root cause of the problem. This will allow you to solve the issue quickly and efficiently. Once you know the underlying reasons for the aggression, you can decide on the most effective dispute-resolution strategy.

However, if you still find yourself backed into a corner by an aggressive coworker despite all, don’t despair. With careful handling, you can leave the other side unscathed and even with enhanced respect from your colleagues.

The key is to stay calm and remember that there are ways to diffuse the situation without resorting to aggression or rudeness.

It’s important to nip this behavior before it gets out of hand. By taking action now, you can prevent further problems down the road.

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