TO DEAL OR NOT TO DEAL; with the office troublemaker.

Every office has one, a troublemaker. Some companies shrewdly pinpoint the troublemaker and get rid of them, but like weeds, once you pluck one, another will germinate in its place. The troublemaker can make your daily job a living hill, leaving you stressed out, negative and irritable to other people- that is if you let it.
Naturally you will at first try to avoid the office troublemaker, and if you are able to then stick with whatever it is you are doing. But for the majority of us, we will most likely have to correlate with this atrocious person on a regular basis, whether it's in meetings, office gatherings, orientations, etc.
It is important to perpetually remind yourself then that no one has the power to control your emotions that is up to you. Swallow your anxieties, take a deep breath and be prepared. Always speak to the office troublemaker in a controlled, cheerful and reasonable tone. Keep in mind that negativity can be contagious, so don't let this person swallow you into his world. Maintain pure business talk and don't discuss any aspects of your personal life. At times you may have to express yourself, especially if this troublemaker is perpetually saying unpleasant or negative things around you. Let them know, in a non-confrontational way that what they are saying is bothering you. People react better to criticism when it is delivered in a way that expresses how what they are doing is affecting other people.
Sometimes however the office troublemaker may really be getting out of hand. You need to find a way to make yourself better able to deal with the effect this person is having on you.
Try saying something along the lines of, “I really find it's easier to get the job done when I'm positive. I have noticed that a lot of the things you say are really negative. It is too bad you feel this way. However I'm really busy and I don't have time to discuss it right now”
There will be times when you have just had enough of this person. This is when you may really have to put your foot down and confront the troublemaker. The good thing is that this person is probably well known by all your other colleagues as trouble. This is the person who constantly acknowledge extra work he does, complains about doing everyone else's job, and criticizes those around them at every given opportunity, to name just a few of their evil tendencies.. The list goes on. No one takes any pleasure in working with this person so the chances are that any steps you take will be backed up and supported whole-heartedly by your colleagues. So go ahead; take a stand, if you're absolutely sure you have to. The next time this guy starts complaining about doing all your work, call their bluff. Go and help someone else on a project and let the troublemaker really see what it is you do first hand.
People operate on so many different levels; we all have our own style and way of getting things done so that it is impossible for everyone to always get along. You may think of yourself as the most agreeable person around, but guaranteed there will be someone who disagrees. So always remember that although you think someone may be the office troublemaker, don't strongly react to this idea until you really know what is going on and how your other colleagues feel as well.
If this person is not directly affecting your daily working life to an intolerable level or your career path then why should you try to create waves? Focus your energy on what is most important, and keep your nose to the grindstone because you never know you could become ranked as the next office troublemaker.