Dealing with Difficult People
Every workplace encounters difficult people from time to time. These people can cause conflict in the workplace and often create issues for the people who are dealing with them. Difficult people, like these, exist everywhere. They all have one central thing in common though. You have to deal with them.
No matter what kind of difficult situation you find yourself in, dealing with difficult people or behavior in the workplace is a necessity. Without it you will never be able to thrive professionally. In order to deal with them you must learn how to identify their behavior patterns. How do you do that? It's pretty simple actually. You use what is known as the "glass half full" technique.
The "glass half full" method of dealing with someone difficult is an effective way of handling tough situations. Why is it so effective? It allows you to gain a better perspective on what is really happening. By taking a more positive view of the situation you will be able to make better decisions about how to best deal with the situation and get everyone back on track again.
Often when someone acts out or is difficult in the workplace, it's because they are dealing with some form of emotional issue. Emotional issues such as stress or high emotions are contagious. If you are around difficult people regularly they will also spread those negative emotions around.
This is why it is so important to deal with behaviours and attitudes that create conflict. If you keep your cool and stay calm, you will send out a message that will have other people staying calm and also thinking about ways to resolve the issue. If you try to reason with someone whose behaviour poses problems then you will only end up getting frustrated. It's better to keep everyone calm and focused on how best to solve the problem instead of getting caught up in a power struggle.
If you are working in an office environment where there is a difficult coworker, you can use a technique called role playing to keep things calm and relaxed. It's not rocket science but it does take practice. Basically you are going to pretend that you are dealing with a difficult person. You won't be perfect but you will try your best and be professional. You don't want to appear as if you are trying to be the best or correct the other person's behaviour but simply trying to keep calm and be nice.
Sometimes dealing with difficult people involves removing yourself from the situation. Many people who are angry or upset to find that they begin to lose control or feel overwhelmed. Removing yourself from the situation will help to reduce any feelings of stress or anger and bring you back to reality. Remember you aren't trying to cause anyone pain and chances are the other person doesn't want to cause you stress.
If you are dealing with difficult people at your workplace, you may find that dealing with them requires professional help. A boss that is difficult or has a bad temper could have a serious impact on your work performance and behavior. The best thing to do is find a way to stop the behaviour or get the boss's attention so that you can address the situation appropriately. Explain that you have noticed that your colleague is being difficult and that you feel like you can no longer work with them. You may be able to negotiate a cooling off period or a transfer to another coworker if this is the problem.
