Do I have to get along with the 'difficult people' at work?

You've been disliked by a boss, colleague, or junior at work.
The relationship has become strained.
Or, your values are so different that you just can't even process it.

Have you ever experienced this?

I have, many times.

Even so, I tried my best to change how I interacted with them, made small talk, handed out snacks...

I sacrificed myself to make the relationships work.

I'd like to share one realization.

That is, there are people who take my sense of responsibility for my work 'hostage'.

Workplace relationships cannot function without the premise that both parties will carry out their work responsibly.

Let me give you an example.

A deadline is approaching, so I want my senior to check my project quickly.
But the senior knows this, dislikes me, and won't check it.
It's frustrating, but I bowed my head politely many times until they finally checked it.

I don't think you should try to build a relationship with this kind of senior.
(You might wonder, 'You said you'd give tips on building relationships, and now you're saying don't build one?' but this is an important point.)

In the first place, I don't think this is a situation where you should be the one bowing your head to handle it.

This senior's attitude and behavior could easily become a 'loss for the company'.

In other words, this senior's attitude and behavior are directed at the company. You are bowing your head on behalf of the company out of a sincere sense of responsibility.

If you go along with such foul play, you will end up sacrificing yourself.

This is something the company should handle.

But what if the company or my boss won't listen?

Unfortunately, that can certainly happen.

I'd like to suggest two tips.

First, it might not be taken seriously because it's perceived as a relationship problem.
When it comes to interpersonal relationships, it's often dismissed by third parties as having two sides to the story or just being a minor personal conflict.

How about conveying it in a way like this?

Regarding a certain senior colleague, it has been observed that they leave projects with approaching deadlines until the very last minute. While I acknowledge that there are times when my own submissions are delayed, leaving work unattended while being aware of the deadline could potentially cause damage to the company.

This might resonate with your supervisor as a task they need to address.

Next, since this is someone you do not build a personal relationship with, treat them appropriately as a professional contact.

For the first tip to be more effective, it is important that those around you perceive that you are interacting with this senior colleague on a flat, professional level.

If you fight on the same level, it could end up being dismissed as mere interpersonal conflict.

A workplace is a place where you have to be with people you would normally want to keep at a distance.

To avoid sacrificing yourself, I have written about the types of people with whom you should not build a personal relationship.

I hope this helps even a little to put your mind at ease.