How to Deal With an Obvious Trouble Maker

rover2000

I work with a woman who I would rather avoid. Usually when she starts spreading her poison I change the subject or walk away, or suddenly become engrossed in something.
Today I was tired, needed to concentrate and she wouldn't shut up.
I told her I needed to concentrate on my work so I couldn't talk.
So she started making really personal comments about my appearance.
I said that it was extremely rude and how I look is none of her business.
Eventually she went all huffy and said she wouldn't speak to me. I ended up telling her she was poison.

This woman likes to stir up trouble. She will make the point of saying she doesn't need to work as her husband is loaded.How do I manage working full time to get everything done? Also she tries to stir up trouble between colleagues.
She doesn't like a girl who I get along with and is trying to turn me against her.

How do I deal with this woman? I'm expecting her to complain to my boss because today I'd had enough and told her so. I'm not going to put up with her barbed comments any more.
Any ways of dealing with this would be most welcome.

patman99

Put in a grievance against her.

mro

Complain before she does and tries to stitch you up.

Proc

"Eventually she went all huffy and said she wouldn't speak to me"

So, where's the problem?





Your use of language suggests that you also enjoy a bit of drama.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

Ignore her. Be utterly professional at all times, when dealing with her in relation to work matters and ignore her the rest of the time.

There is no need to lodge a complaint, we all have people we don't get on with at work - how you handle them is key.

cherryblossomzel

Regardless of whether or not you put in a grievance against her now, keep a log of everything, every time she makes personal comments etc. If this does ever go to a grievance procedure (initiated by you, her or someone else), you'll want to be as precise as possible. Much better to be able to say: "on x date, she said y, in the presence of z", rather than "she's always nasty to people".

Bantex_2

Punch her.

Ozzuk

Bantex wrote: »

Punch her.

Thanks for that I just spat my tea everywhere and I was on conference call at the time.

OP, I remember doing some training once about dealing with people, and something that really made me think was the idea that it can be you that is the problem and not the other person.

Remove their control over you, stop letting it bother you, be the bigger person. If you really can't stick it then make your manager aware of the situation.

It sounds like you are responding in a non-professional manner, don't sink to her level, maintain your composure and just do your job.

aileth

Keep a log of all incidents as you can bet your bottom dollar that she will make a complaint against you and it's good to have ammunition, but I'd keep your powder dry for now.

Remain utterly professional, don't sink to her level. Give her absolutely nothing to be able to complain to higher-ups about.

Slinky

It's all very well saying ignore the person, sometimes you just can't. I used to work somewhere where a very loud secretary in an open plan office used to spend all day recounting her latest dating experiences to her friends on the phone. She was so loud you couldn't tune her out. I made a comment one day when I'd heard all about the latest bloke for the third time in one morning, and she told me I shouldn't be listening!

Fortunately she left (although they later reemployed her). Her manager at her leaving do said it wasn't so much losing a secretary as gaining a phone line....

ERICS_MUM

tell her quietly and calmly to "pack it in " or "put a sock in it". Then just treat her civilly when you need to or ignore when you can. Or just smile at her but don't speak when she starts on about your appearance.