First Jobs: Getting Along with Co-workers

A broadcast journalism grad recently asked for my opinion on how to deal with a challenging photographer, and a few other difficult co-workers in his new newsroom.  I thought this would be an interesting topic, because I believe it takes two to tango.  Everyone plays a part in building and maintaining good relationships, both personally and professionally.  At the end of the day, most people simply want work relationships that “work” – efficient and drama free.

As in any business setting, you will find a wide variety of different personality types in broadcast news and media production. You’ve got your type A and type B people.  There are grumpy co-workers. Others may be easy-going.  Organized. Disorganized. Dependable. Undependable.  Everyone’s got their quirks!  Some of those traits may serve as strengths; others may be more of an Achilles’s heel.

I think the best way to build and maintain efficient work relationship is to start with yourself. It is important to understand exactly what you bring to the table, whether it be positive or negative.  Are there some things you can do differently, or better? This can be an especially steep learning curve for people who are just starting their careers.  Some people never realize how their comments and actions can come off as selfish, arrogant, overly emotional, high-maintenance, dishonest, micro-manage-y, needy, gossip-y, too revealing, stand-offish, insecure, or even insensitive… to name a few… the list goes on and on!

I’m not saying you shouldn’t be yourself.  If you know for a fact that you are generally stubborn, confrontational, or maybe a bit cocky – and that’s just your thing – hey, you’ve gotta be you!  But if you’ve never done so before, it doesn’t hurt to take a little time and evaluate (or re-evaluate) how your actions affect the people around you.  Tweaking a few things from time to time can help your interactions with colleagues become more efficient, or even manageable.  You’ve got to be honest with yourself about the vibe you put out to people.  For instance, is the give and take between you and a colleague mutual, or do you demand too much?  Do you short yourself, and ask for too little?  Or, are you on the losing end of someone else’s personalty quirks?  (Remember, you can’t change the other person, but you can change how you interact with that person.)

Striking the right balance with co-workers is important, because everyone appreciates easy relationships.  However, let’s be clear about one thing  – I am not advocating that you become a “push over”.  There will always be times when you have to take a stand – you can’t please all of the people all of the time.  A really good quote from Bill Cosby comes to mind:

“I don’t know the key to success. But the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”

Sometimes there will be situations where you can’t help but ruffle a few few feathers.  That’s life.  But in your everyday interactions with people, I think there is value in understanding your part in your interactions with photographers, producers, directors, talent, etc.  Don’t become overly obsessed about what others may think about you, but always try to look for ways to improve the quality of your relationships.  Never be afraid to ask yourself, “what’s my part in this? How can I make things better?” If there is honestly nothing more you can do on your end, at least you that know you put forth the effort.

In the fast paced world of television news, it’s especially important to build efficient relationships.  It’s a good lesson for beginners, but I think it’s also a great reminder for anyone, at any level in their career.

We can always find ways to improve!

Good Luck!