Being Easy to Work With is the Single Most Underrated Career Skill
Be the employee every leader wants on their team
Have you ever been asked to “tell me about the most difficult coworker you’ve ever worked with and how you dealt with them” in an interview? The first time I recall being on the receiving end of this interview question, I was in high school.
I still remember the panic bubbling up inside of me as I searched the depths of my memory for a solid example. I hadn’t yet worked with many people, and those I had worked with were all relatively pleasant.
I was 16 years old and an aspiring summer camp counselor — what was there to be difficult about?
But after more than a decade spent working in HR, first in corporate America and now as a solopreneur and startup consultant, I would knock this question out of the proverbial park if asked today.
There are just so many examples to choose from.
We’ve all encountered people who are difficult to work with in our professional lives. We know how to spot them and what to expect from them.
It won’t matter what you do or don’t do; it will always be wrong in their eyes.
The problem with being perceived as someone who is difficult to work with is…
