Like everybody, I’ve certainly had to deal with difficult colleagues on occasion – colleagues who have failed to pull their weight, who have been too ready to blame others for their errors or who simply have an unpleasant and unprofessional attitude. I’m not afraid of making my opinion known and I believe that communication – especially in difficult or high pressure situations – is essential in developing effective working relationships. While some interpersonal conflict is inevitable, I don’t believe in clashing head-on with a difficult colleague. It’s much more productive to try to understand them, to reason with them and to find ways of working through any difficulties you may have. Communication is the key. You often find that someone, with whom you initially had difficulties, can, once you’ve reached an understanding, become a valued co-worker