Three Strategies to Reduce Frustrations with Those Around You

We’ve all been there—feeling frustrated at work, whether it's because a colleague seems to be out of sync or a project isn’t progressing as expected.

These moments can lead to stress and affect productivity.

However, there are practical strategies you can implement to not only better manage these frustrations but also improve your relationships with colleagues.

1. Recognizing the Impact of Your Behaviour

The first step in easing tensions is to ask yourself: What impact does my behaviour have on others?

It’s often easy to blame the other person, but it’s more productive to take a step back and reflect on how your tone of voice, choice of words, or even body language may be influencing the situation. For instance, if you’re in a tense situation and speaking with a sharp or impatient tone, it could escalate things without you even realizing it.

Once you recognize that your behaviour can impact how the other person reacts, you’ve already taken a big step towards defusing tensions. It’s not always easy to take this step back, especially in the heat of the moment, but simply asking yourself this question can shift the dynamic.

2. Clarifying Expectations

Often, frustrations at work arise from a lack of clarity. Have you ever been frustrated by a colleague who completely changed a document you thought was perfect? Or found yourself in a situation where you thought everyone was on the same page, only to discover that wasn’t the case?

Clarifying expectations is key to avoiding these misunderstandings. It starts with clear communication of your own expectations but also involves being open to listening and understanding what the other person expects. This may sound simple, but terms like "review" or "respond quickly" can mean different things to different people. Taking the time to make sure you’re aligned can prevent a lot of frustration.

3. Adapting Your Working Style to Others

Not everyone works the same way. Some prefer verbal discussions, while others like to share their ideas in writing. If you want to improve your relationships with colleagues, it’s important to adapt to their preferences. If you need ideas from a colleague who prefers verbal exchanges, take the time to organize a meeting or an in-person discussion, even if you usually prefer using a shared document. Flexibility is key to fostering stronger collaboration.

Instead of imposing your own working style, be open to adjusting. This not only shows your willingness to collaborate but also creates a more harmonious and productive work environment.

Pitfalls, Risks, Tips, and Impacts

While strategies are essential for managing frustrations, it's also helpful to understand the pitfalls, risks, tips, and impacts that come with these situations. Here are a few points to keep in mind:

Pitfall: Assuming your intentions are always seen as positive.

What you mean well can sometimes be misinterpreted. For example, asking many questions out of curiosity might be seen as a lack of trust.

Risk: Perpetuating misunderstandings.

If you ignore how your behaviour impacts others, misunderstandings can build up, causing more frustration.

Tip: Ask for feedback.

Asking the other person directly if your approach is coming across well allows you to adjust before things escalate.

Impact: Improved collaboration.

By recognizing how your behaviour affects others and adjusting accordingly, you create a more harmonious and productive working environment.

In the end, managing frustrations at work requires both introspection and adaptation. By being mindful of the impact of your behaviour, clarifying expectations with your colleagues, and adjusting your working style to meet others' preferences, you can reduce tensions, improve collaboration, and strengthen team cohesion.

It’s important to remember that you can’t change others. You have no control over your colleagues' actions or reactions. What you can control is yourself. By working on your own behaviour, adjusting your interactions, and cultivating empathy, you create the right conditions to improve professional relationships and, as a result, the overall work environment.