How to Deal With Difficult People:
There will always be people that are very hard to deal with for whatever reason. If you’re an introvert, you may have a hard time dealing with others. If you’re an extrovert, your time might end up being taken by others. We all encounter difficult people; it’s one of the many things in life that we cannot escape. Our personalities, personal experiences, and other factors will influence our relationship with different people.
No matter how good you are at dealing with people, there will always be certain individuals who are very hard to deal with because they are just difficult to talk to. It's not that they're bad people, but there will always be certain people who could make life difficult for you.
There will always be people that are very hard to deal with. If you manage to say a lot of things to them, they’ll still not change or even see what they need to change in order to deal better with different situations. Difficult people are the source of many problems and they will always be around. What we can do is to develop ways to deal with them effectively.
We all know the type. They are the people who constantly contradict everything you say. They are never wrong and always cause trouble in the workplace. Dealing with difficult people in a professional manner is an important part of being successful in your career.
Here are 10 tips that will help you deal with difficult people on a daily basis:
1) Don't take it personally
Remind yourself that it's not you, but them. Remember that they have their own problems, which can be separate from yours. Stay calm and don't let them get to you.
2) Don't put up with bad behavior
If someone is trying to upset or insult you, don't let them get away with it. If they are treating you badly, tell them to stop. You should not have to tolerate anyone's bad behavior towards you.
3) Avoid negative people
Negative people can bring you down and make your life much harder than it needs to be. If there is someone who is causing a lot of stress in your life, avoid spending time with them whenever possible. They will always find a reason to make something negative out of any situation and will end up making your day much worse than it needs to be.
4) Don't waste time arguing
They won’t listen to you, and you’ll be more frustrated, just walk away.
5) Ask questions to clarify their position.
Ask questions that clarify the other person’s position so that you can understand where they are coming from and respond accordingly.
6) Ask yourself this question
“Is this person really difficult, or am I being too sensitive?” If you think someone is being difficult, ask yourself if you're reading more into things than is necessary. Sometimes we become overly sensitive to things that others say and do, and we make a big deal out of nothing. So before labeling someone as “difficult,” try putting yourself in their shoes and ask yourself if they really have done anything wrong or if you're being hypersensitive or overreacting.
7) Don't lose your cool
It's very easy to get angry or annoyed when someone is being difficult, but it never helps. You will only make the situation worse and you might even regret your behavior afterwards. So take a deep breath and try to stay calm as long as possible.
8) Be polite
I'm not saying that you should treat people like they are always right or let them walk all over you. But showing some respect for others can go a long way! If your boss wants you to do something, just say “yes sir” instead of rolling your eyes or arguing about it for hours. This doesn't mean that the other person is right or wrong, but if he/she feels respected it will make them more likely to cooperate with you!
9) Set boundaries
When someone crosses over your boundaries by being rude, aggressive or offensive, tell them clearly that this is unacceptable in a firm but polite way and ask them not to do it again. For example say something like: “Please don't speak to me like that.” If they continue then say: “I've asked you not to speak to me this way and I will leave if you continue.”
10) Understand that they will always be there
There will always be people that are very hard to deal with. These people are everywhere! Whether you like it or not, you will have to deal with them at some point in your life. It could be a boss, a family member, a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, etc. Unfortunately, there is no way you can avoid these types of people. So instead of getting frustrated and angry when they do something that makes you uncomfortable or upset, learn how to deal with them the best way that you can. Acknowledge their behavior: Sometimes the best way of dealing with difficult people is simply by acknowledging their behavior and moving on. In other words, ignore them!
The best way to deal with difficult people is to lead by example. You can change the world, but you can’t change the world. Each person will have their own opinion about how things should be done and will do things the way that suits them best. There is no need to get stressed out about it. As advised in the article, dealing with difficult people is not a one-time action that you do once and never again.
Not everybody likes everybody. It’s just how life works. I think the most important thing is for us to recognize that nobody is all bad. A difficult person has a story behind them, just like you and I do. And that story probably makes them who they are today. We must try our best not to let the past determine our present and future. Because at the end of the day, we all have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others around us.
As with most of these, some are more obvious than others. But what I really like about this list is that it incorporates a lot of psychological and sociological principles that these sorts of situations can sometimes bring out in people. Bottom line: sometimes the best solution is to either deal with those people or walk away from them entirely; there’s no shame in having difficult personalities in your life from time to time. You can’t be friends with everyone, after all.
