Do you have a colleague who is:
❌ Undermining you?
❌ Undervaluing your expertise?
❌ Straight-up hostile?
Have you tried to:
✔️ Address the issue directly?
✔️ Ignore the behavior?
✔️ Escalate concerns to a supervisor?
Yet nothing has worked?
If this ongoing conflict has left you feeling:
😡 Frustrated
😞 Drained and demotivated
😕 Dreading going to work
Then you’re not alone—and we can help.
At iRISE Executive Coaching, we specialize in helping healthcare professionals like you regain confidence, navigate workplace challenges, and build strategies that lead to sustainable career satisfaction.
A few years ago, a physician was referred to us after struggling with persistent workplace issues. She confided in our principal executive coach and founder Aashi Arora that she felt overwhelmed, frustrated, and unsure of where to start in improving her situation. Her friends and family wanted to help, but they didn’t know how.
Through the first session, we mapped out her challenges and categorized them into key areas:
✔ Clinical Operations
✔ Doctor Workload
✔ Work-Life Balance
✔ People Problems
One category stood out: People Problems. And, more specifically, one difficult colleague. She dreaded interacting with this person—whether in meetings, in the clinic, or even in passing.
Together, we broke down specific behaviors that were negatively impacting her work environment:
| Doctor Behavior | How It Made My Client Feel |
| Public rudeness in meetings | Belittled, uncomfortable |
| Private patient discussions in public spaces | Undermined, concerned about privacy |
| Constant complaints and interruptions | Overwhelmed, anxious |
| Dismissive “know-it-all” attitude | Undervalued, disrespected |
Despite several attempts to resolve the situation, nothing had changed:
| What She Tried | The Result |
| Direct conversation with the colleague | Denial, defensiveness, no accountability |
| Ignoring the behavior | Continued disruptions and complaints |
| Escalating to a supervisor | Dismissive response: “Let it go” |
Rather than focusing solely on changing the colleague’s behavior—an outcome outside her control—we shifted our approach to her response and strategy.
Here’s how we tackled the problem:
Many difficult workplace behaviors stem from emotional dysregulation—think of it like dealing with a petulant child. A colleague exhibiting immature, rude, or condescending behavior often lacks the self-awareness to adjust their conduct.
🔹 Key Coaching Insight: When you shift your perspective and recognize that their behavior is a reflection of their internal struggles—not your worth—it becomes easier to detach emotionally and respond strategically.
Just as clinical operations rely on structured processes, professional interactions should have clear guidelines. We worked on:
✔ Establishing communication protocols for meetings and discussions
✔ Clarifying expectations for professional behavior
✔ Implementing consequences for disruptions
A major part of coaching involves empowering clients to set boundaries and protect their mental space. We developed actionable strategies, including:
✔ Politely ending conversations when they became unproductive
✔ Redirecting complaints to a more appropriate forum
✔ Declining to engage in negative discussions
Instead of letting the colleague dominate interactions with negativity, we worked on redirection techniques:
✔ Scheduling discussions at a separate time
✔ Using strategic interruptions (e.g., “What would be the ideal outcome here?”)
✔ Encouraging written reflections instead of heated verbal exchanges
By implementing these tailored strategies, my client regained a sense of control, reduced workplace stress, and improved her overall job satisfaction. The difficult colleague? They didn’t magically change overnight, but my client no longer felt powerless. Instead, she developed a proactive approach that allowed her to thrive despite the challenges.
If workplace conflict is taking a toll on your career, let’s change that. At iRISE Executive Coaching, we help physicians and healthcare professionals develop the skills, mindset, and strategies to overcome workplace challenges and reclaim their professional joy.
📩 Let’s connect: aashi@iriseexecutivecoaching.com
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