Dealing with a Moody Co-Worker

Step 1:
Act friendly regardless of her mood. Even if you nearly get your head bitten off, putting your best foot forward can never come back to haunt you. Other co-workers will take notice and you won't run the risk of becoming known as the rigid snob at the office.

Step 2:
Remind yourself that your co-worker's mood more than likely has nothing to do with you. If the person at work is especially moody, do your best to stay out of the line of fire until he has had time to calm down. The problem might be less severe if you wait until the next day or the next week to interact with him again.

Step 3:
Find out what's wrong, if the moodiness hasn't always been your co-worker's personality trait. Sometimes a person might just be waiting for someone to ask what her problem is so she can share it. Though this won't always help, it can begin to smooth things over with a person who is just going through a rough time.

Step 4:
Let it out when appropriate. Even if you do your best to downplay an uncomfortable situation, you might still be steaming on the inside (and rightfully so). Don't create more of a problem by bashing the moody co-worker to anyone who will listen. However a certain amount of venting your frustrations to a close friend, close co-worker or your spouse can do your temperament a world of good.

Share