How do you deal with the person "nobody likes"?

You’d think we’d grow out of this “cool kids” thing, but I’m talking about a work/professional environment. (It applies to other situations too so go ahead and answer, whatever your age/experience.)

I’m new in my workplace and I get on well with everybody. There’s one person who is disliked universally. The complaint is; she acts superior and her tone is condescending.

She is older and has a job duty nobody else would want, but she’s relatively new to the department and not in a position of authority over anybody. She is in charge of the technology.

It’s the universal thing to mock her behind her back. All of the cool kids are doing it. If you want to be cool, join in.

My take on her is that I think she’s very approachable and friendly, especially if approached with questions about her field of expertise. She’s in a difficult middle position and she compensates for her discomfort by using management-speak (“We could optimize our workflow…”) to prove that she belongs in her position, but that alienates others.

Yeah, that can be obnoxious but it doesn’t mean she isn’t good at her job and it certainly doesn’t mean she’s a worthless human being.

How do you deal with these situations?

Do you try to bring the outcast’s good points to other’s attention?

Do you play two-faced and accommodate everyone?

Are you silent and uncomfortable?