A difficult boss can make even the most fulfilling job a negative experience.

You can avoid or at least anticipate friction with your manager by knowing what conflict personality style they have and what tends to trigger them, says Jim Guinn, author of "How to Get Along with Anyone: The Playbook for Predicting and Preventing Conflict at Work and at Home."

Guinn is the president of the Resolution Resource Group, a company that coaches other companies on how to solve conflict. He co-authored the book with John Eliot, a mentor to professional sports teams and athletes.

The worst type of person to work for, he says, is a "task-triggered collaborator."

This is "someone that wants to be involved in everything, resolve every conflict, says, 'Let's all be best friends,' but is a control freak and they're not going to trust you," Guinn told CNBC Make It.

Bosses like this tend to micro-manage but not be direct about what they actually want.

"They're never going to tell you they are upset with you, but if you don't do things their way they're gonna freak out," Guinn says.

Collaborator is one of five types of conflict personality styles Guinn and Eliot outline in their book:

1. Avoider: This person typically avoids conflict and works best alone. To foster a good working relationship with them, you should be time-efficient and avoid pointless meetings. Be persistent if you don't hear back from them.
2. Competitor: The competitor usually takes many risks and can be known as aggressive in their approach. When working with a competitor, you should adhere to deadlines they set and keep your word.
3. Analyzer: An analyzer views the world through a methodical and evidence-based lens. They like to gather a lot of information before taking action.  To create a great workflow with them, show them you can be flexible and take interest in their thought processes
4. Collaborator: "Collaborators will work hard to make things personal to get you to let your guard down," Guinn and Eliot wrote in their book. They're empathetic and enjoy being a relationship manager, but they aren't direct about their own needs. When working with collaborators, validate their need to be a part of the group and don't be "all business."
5. Accommodator: An accommodator places the group's success and well-being over their own. They do a wonderful job at encouraging their teammates, and can get upset when they feel unappreciated. Be reliable and don't take these types for granted.

Most conflicts can be sorted into three categories, Guinn and Eliot, write:

1. Task: If a person is "task-triggered" that means they are concerned with hitting deadlines and adhering to agreed upon standards.
2. Process: This type of disagreement centers on how a task gets done. Many people who are process triggered have a "my way or the highway" attitude.
3. Relational: If your boss tends to take issue with the personality quirks of people on the team, many of the conflicts probably are relational.

By knowing how your boss tends to handle disagreements and what upsets them, you can predict their behavior and create a more harmonious working environment.

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