What is your best tactic for dealing with a colleague who is always arguing?

[Anonymous]

I was in a similar situation with someone who was specifically hired to help me. I was not her superior, though, so I had no power to fire her or write the issue into her performance evaluation. I tried requesting that she keep the arguing to situations where it would not eat up meeting time, that she raise issues in advance of meetings so we could put them on the agenda, and that she not argue with coworkers when there were non-coworkers present. She argued that she needed freedom to state her opinions and that she would not be accepting any of the suggestions.

Manager tried to manage and took the perspective that she had some mental or personality issue. In the end she never produced anything and left after a year.

[Anonymous]

I would probably resort to disengaging and letting them be wrong after telling them the correct answer once in writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't engage.

+1

Also the best way to stay out of any drama.

[Anonymous]

Dont engage. If they are the same level this is not your problem.

[Anonymous]

I have a direct report like this and nothing I have ever done has helped so I say okay a lot and walk away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a direct report like this and nothing I have ever done has helped so I say okay a lot and walk away.

Same. Sometimes I just say “I will consider that” and then continue on to the next topic.

Other times I say, “[topic] is no longer open for discussion” and move on.

If I need them to do something I follow up with written instructions.