"That bossy coworker of yours might just need a person who'll make him realize of his mistakes and hopefully he'll get rid of that old habit."

To have your boss giving orders and asking you to do tasks is already a handful. What more if a coworker adds up to your workload because he's being so bossy? How do you handle bossy coworkers without being too harsh and disrespectful? Here are helpful tips on how to deal with bossy coworkers:

First, know your priorities. It's always a good idea to do what your real boss asks you to do and doing only the specific instructions he gave you. If your bossy coworker insists on you to do what he says, politely say that you're appreciative of the ideas he has in mind and you'd gladly do that if ever your boss really relayed that certain task for you. For example, you'll tell him "You have a pretty good idea there Jim, but are you sure that's how it's done? Mr. Stevenson told me himself that I should be doing it this way. Maybe I should ask him again, just to double check." This helps him get the idea that you consider his advice but you only follow what your real boss told you.

If ever he insists that you follow his orders and that he's just relaying what your boss had said to him. Confirm this by emailing your direct superior; it's always good to be sure. You'll never know if the person is speaking of the truth unless you confirm it straight from your boss. Your "actual task" might just be jeopardized if you'll go ahead and do what your bossy coworker is asking of you. Your reputation might go down the drain as well if ever he's telling a lie about the whole thing.

Lastly in dealing with bossy coworkers, you should also assess what type of person they really are. He might just be that kind of person since it's his way of motivating and pushing you to do your best, especially if you're still a newbie at work. Others may do that to you because psychologically, it's their way of showing that they enjoy the attention when they are smart and helpful. So get to know the person sincerely, they might not be aware that they are being too manipulative or controlling towards others. By the time you're making the person comfortable towards you, tell them nicely about how others think of them. That bossy coworker of yours might just need a person who'll make him realize of his mistakes and hopefully he'll get rid of that old habit.