I want to make sure to clarify that, in my experience, there have been several situations:
maybe the other person is a jerk
maybe I'm the jerk
maybe we're both jerks
maybe neither of us are jerks, but we just don't mesh
maybe the other person is proactively trying to destroy my career
Discussing with the other person may help. But may not.
If I'm the jerk -- and I have been at times -- being made aware of my jerk behavior has helped me to try to conscientiously improve my behavior. I am grateful to those who stepped up to make me aware of what I was doing.
I've worked with people that I'd classify as zealots or fanatics. (A zealot can't change his mind. A fanatic can't change his mind and won't change the subject.) For example, someone that is pro-racist and pushes that racism and won't (can't?) drop the subject is going to annoy the heck out of me and stress me out. If they can leave the subject out of the workplace, great. But if they can't, we're going to have problems.
For the first four situations, avoidance is okay as long as it doesn't also make the team dysfunctional. But if the avoidance space is not mutually respected by the other person, then it won't work.
The last situation is just a bad situation.
For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse
We're a place where coders share, stay up-to-date and grow their careers.
I (politely) avoid that person. If that is not possible, I turn in my notice. Life is too short.
I want to make sure to clarify that, in my experience, there have been several situations:
Discussing with the other person may help. But may not.
If I'm the jerk -- and I have been at times -- being made aware of my jerk behavior has helped me to try to conscientiously improve my behavior. I am grateful to those who stepped up to make me aware of what I was doing.
I've worked with people that I'd classify as zealots or fanatics. (A zealot can't change his mind. A fanatic can't change his mind and won't change the subject.) For example, someone that is pro-racist and pushes that racism and won't (can't?) drop the subject is going to annoy the heck out of me and stress me out. If they can leave the subject out of the workplace, great. But if they can't, we're going to have problems.
For the first four situations, avoidance is okay as long as it doesn't also make the team dysfunctional. But if the avoidance space is not mutually respected by the other person, then it won't work.
The last situation is just a bad situation.