Anyone can encounter a colleague they would rather not work with during office life. What mindset is needed at such times? On Aug. 6, IT outlet Business Insider introduced ways to navigate workplace life in an interview with Mike Katz (마이크 카츠), the former chief business and product officer at T-Mobile.

Before getting into his advice, Katz opened by saying such situations are not rare exceptions but a reality of working life. Katz started his career in college selling mobile phone services and rose to a top job at T-Mobile after holding more than 12 roles there. Katz, who stepped down from his post last July, is set to remain as a strategic adviser to the company until this December.

Katz advised that it is important to build a strong internal network within a company and secure allies across multiple departments. Such relationships can open doors, expand influence and, over time, lead to new opportunities. Even so, he said there are people who do not fit no matter how hard you try, and some colleagues can feel difficult to the end. Katz presented four strategies for working with such colleagues.

First, you need to accept the fact that difficult colleagues exist. Recognising that you cannot get along with everyone can reduce unnecessary expectations and emotional drain. It means entering conversations with a realistic mindset rather than expecting the other person to suddenly become cooperative and warm.

Second, set the criteria for success in advance of the conversation. For example, if you need approval for a specific project, the goal of the meeting is not to come away with good feelings but to secure approval. "What matters after a meeting is not 'did I feel good,' but 'did I get what I needed done,'" Katz stressed. He advised focusing on work outcomes rather than emotional satisfaction.

If possible, creating personal points of contact with the other person can also be a way to reduce tension. Taking time to understand the other person a little more humanly, rather than jumping straight into agenda items, can ease conflict. At times, light conversation or relationship-building can help unblock stalled collaboration.

If it is ultimately hard to find common ground, focus on what you can control. The point is your own attitude and behaviour. Katz explained, "I try to practise the Golden Rule, treating the other person the way I want to be treated." If you do not escalate tension, the atmosphere of the relationship can gradually change, and at times a breakthrough can emerge even with a difficult colleague.

The core of handling a difficult colleague is not trying to change the other person completely. It is adjusting expectations, clarifying goals, finding points of connection where possible, and ultimately managing your own attitude. Workplace relationships cannot be resolved by emotion alone, but a strategic approach can reduce unnecessary conflict and deliver the results you need.