How to Deal with Stubborn Colleagues

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Some people just won't budge an inch, which can be a recipe for disaster in the workplace. You have a deadline coming up and you know that your stubborn colleague's method of tackling the project just won't work. He refuses to accept your criticism, however, and insists upon doing it his way. Here are a few tips on how to deal with stubborn colleagues.

Deal with Stubborn Colleagues: Let Him Trip

The good thing about stubborn people versus disagreeable personality types is that they will usually trip themselves up. If they refuse to believe that their way might not be the best way, your best bet might be to let him make the mistake. Of course, you'll need to document the fact that you attempted to change his perspective and that you offered an alternate solution; you don't want him to drag you down, too.

Deal with Stubborn Colleagues: Do the Task Yourself

If you know that you are going to suffer for your colleague's mistake, you might have to suck up your pride and do the task yourself. Refusing input from another employee might not be the best way to build positive relations, but you also can't afford to lose your job because someone else can't give an inch. Separate a group project into parts and assign each employee their own section. That way, everyone is responsible for his or her own work.

Deal with Stubborn Colleagues: Take It in Private

When you disagree with a stubborn individual, you are likely to make everyone else uncomfortable. To avoid this, take a heated discussion in private and discuss it amongst the two of you. This will keep you from adding even more opinions into the mix from other colleagues and will allow you to discuss the problem quickly and rationally. You don't have to battle it out in front of the rest of the office and risk disciplinary action by your boss.

Deal with Stubborn Colleagues: Don't Tolerate Inappropriate Behavior

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