Navigating professional relationships is never easy – unless you’re some kind of business savant. We would all love to summon our inner Richard Branson on the regular, even if it’s just to look good in a meeting. More than impressing our bosses though, we actually need to enjoy our jobs too. Fair enough, we can’t all pursue a degree in the arts or humanities and expect to prosper like Bill Gates; but we shouldn’t be counting down to the weekend constantly. Now and then we all hit a slump but it’s still important to know when to walk away and when to fix it. Before you take the leap, this is what you can do instead of quitting your job.

Is It Your Job or Your Colleagues That You Dislike?

Are you full of cheer until that one person walks into the office? If you’re lucky it’s just one person that kills the vibe if you’re unlucky it’s your entire team that drive you up the wall. You are less lucky still if your daily tasks are what is bringing you down. Your job, what you are there to actually do; should be the part you enjoy. It is what you worked so hard to qualify for and what you have probably come to plan your future around. If it’s the job itself that plunges you into misery, you most certainly need to consider your options even beyond your current colleagues, role and title. If it’s just your colleagues you can probably find a way to get through it.

Have You Tried Communicating?

So you have a difficult colleague, a nasty client or a demoralising boss, there’s probably a solution. It is that dreaded word; communication. It’s easy for some people but so, so difficult for others. The point of communication is to find a balanced understanding of two opposing points of view. If you are able to deviate from the assumption that all is black and white, you are able to experience the full rainbow and gain insight into your colleague’s personalities and reasoning. Here are a few very quick tips which should help you along the way.

• Actively listen to what someone is saying
• Respond with prudence and discretion
• Provide constructive criticism only
• Offer respect and build trust
• Take note of the tone with which you communicate, avoid being abrasive

Is it Even Worth Trying to Fix?

Towards the end of the year we struggle to muster the energy to view things from a balanced perspective and while you might feel exhausted and like you have nothing more to give, you may in actual fact just be burnt out. The hardest part though is making the decision to leave while you still have the energy to do so or to plunge your remaining energy into making it work. You have to ask yourself, is it breaking you to the point of no return? You need to be able to imagine your work situation improving and feeling stronger for it. If you dread every single moment there – it may not be worth trying to fix.

What it the Best Case Scenario?

Okay, if you’re one of those glass-half-full people, you will probably push to find a way to improve things. Picture this; you find better ways to communicate, you impress people in meetings, win employee of the month awards and your boss begins to value your opinion, what next? Have you found the golden egg? Are you progressing in your career? Will this make you happy? If you can honestly answer yes to these questions, it may well be worth sticking it out. If not, if you’re going to carry a grudge for every time there were no teaspoons left in the drawer, you should cut your losses and move on.

If; even in the best-case scenario you tried everything but the relationship remains irreparable, it’s pointless hanging around. Your best option is to leave in peace before things get messy. Don’t burn your bridges, don’t pour sugar into anyone’s petrol tank, get a good reference and find a new place under the sun to grow and be the best that you can be. Someone will appreciate you. If you’re ready to say au revoir, get in touch with us, pop us your CV and let’s see what’s out there for you!