05 February 2021

Professional collaborations can be affected by personal emotions. Here are our tips on what to do when you find your personal feelings towards someone makes collaboration a challenge.

2:00 Min

1. Accept that nobody likes everybody

The first step when working with a person you might not like on a personal level is accepting that you just need to be professional and get the job done successfully. Acknowledging that you have different opinions, without judging who is right or wrong, can remove the strong emotions that often accompany difficult relationships. If you focus on the task at hand and put your mind to it, you can work with anyone!

2. Identify why it’s important to work with the person

Clarify to everyone the importance of the collaboration. Use the reason to craft a purpose statement. A purpose statement helps you build an alliance around a shared purpose. It doesn’t mean you have to be friends, but it helps you get back to the purpose of the collaboration, allowing you to focus on work and your common objective.

3. Devise a plan to go forward

Be clear on everyone’s responsibilities as well as why you are doing this work together. Having a conversation, explaining what is important to you on the project, discussing your common objectives and asking what the other person thinks, can help create a common sense of purpose. Also, don’t hesitate to share vulnerability, such as admitting where your weak points may be in a project. Remember that no one is perfect and together as a team you can be stronger. An open and honest conversation will help you communicate with the other person. Hopefully, you’ll end up with a productive working relationship!