I'm a programmer at a smaller company and I enjoy the responsibility and the freedom that this brings. It also mean that the professional relationships you have inside the company are more important.

I generally get along fine with my colleagues, but I have a few that I feel uncomfortable with. I perceive them as slightly prestigious and that they have bought into the idea that you are supposed to have an opinion about everything, often negative, and express these as often that you get the chance.

I don't think I've ever heard them asking questions, being interested in others opinions, or discussing things with other colleagues without having having a clear cut idea at the beginning that they stoutly adhere to, forcing the discussion to revolve around their idea.

I'm sure that they are competent in their way, but not at all in the magnitude to justify this kind of behavior.

It's surely not my responsibility to change people, but I do want to be able to be able to work with them and to still keep my motivation and to avoid feeling stood on as a way to gain personal self-justification.

How can I get the most out of colleagues like these? Should I please them? Should I challenge them? Do I have to avoid them?

I'm a programmer at a smaller company and I enjoy the responsibility and the freedom that this brings. It also mean that the professional relationships you have inside the company are more important.

I generally get along fine with my colleagues, but I have a few that I feel uncomfortable with. I perceive them as slightly pretentious and that they have bought into the idea that you are supposed to have an opinion about everything, often negative, and express these as often that you get the chance.

I don't think I've ever heard them asking questions, being interested in others opinions, or discussing things with other colleagues without having having a clear cut idea at the beginning that they stoutly adhere to, forcing the discussion to revolve around their idea.

I'm sure that they are competent in their way, but not at all in the magnitude to justify this kind of behavior.

It's surely not my responsibility to change people, but I do want to be able to be able to work with them and to still keep my motivation and to avoid feeling stood on as a way to gain personal self-justification.

How can I promote a functional professional relationship with colleagues like these? Should I please them? Should I challenge them? Do I have to avoid them?