Source: Dumb Little Man
Ever encountered someone who frustrates you so much that you feel like you want to pull your hair, jump around the room, and just scream out loud?
You’re not alone.
Over the years, I’ve encountered my fair share of difficult people. They are the people who don’t turn their work in as promised, don’t show up for meetings, stick vehemently to their views and refuse to collaborate, and those who push back on work that they’re responsible for.
Even as I run my own business, I work on collaboration projects and there are times where there are difficulties in getting a consensus because everyone is so firm in their views.
Years ago, I used to get bothered and worked up over such situations. I’d think, “Why are these people being so difficult?”, “These people are so irresponsible!”, “Just my luck to work with them” or “I don’t ever want to work with these people again!”.
After a while, I learned that these people are everywhere. No matter where you go, you can never hide from them. Sure, it might be possible to avoid the 1st one or two difficult people, but how about the 3rd, 5th or 10th person you encounter?
Hiding isn’t a permanent solution. What’s more, in the context of work, it’s usually difficult to avoid or hide from someone, unless you quit from a job totally.
Well, I don’t know about you, but it’s not practical to quit every time someone has an opposing view or is being difficult.
So, rather than turn to some drastic decisions each time, why not equip yourself with the skills to deal with them?
Here are 9 tips which I’ve found to work in dealing with such people:
Be calm
Losing your temper and flaring out at the other person isn’t the best way to get him to collaborate with you. Unless you know that anger will trigger the person into action and you are consciously using it as a strategy to move him, it is better to assume a calm persona.
Someone who is calm is seen as being in control, centered, and more respectable.
Would you prefer to work with someone who is predominantly calm or someone who is always on edge?
When the person you are dealing with sees that you are calm despite whatever he is doing, you will start getting their attention.
Understand the person’s intentions
I’d like to believe that no one is difficult for the sake of being difficult. Even…
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