5 Ways to Deal with Difficult People
5 Ways to Deal with Difficult People
Nobody
likes to encounter with difficult people. It can be upsetting on your part even
when you deal with such people, especially when you didn’t do anything at all
to deserve this rudeness.
It’s
easy to dwell in negative thinking, such as “What did I do to deserve this?” or
“I hate him (or her)!” But there are times we couldn’t avoid these types of
people especially in the workplace. Put in the effort to follow these five tips
if you want a better way to deal with these difficult people.
Remember,
reacting in an average way is easy. Being difficult and also taking your
problems out on others is also easy. Go the hard route for a better life.
1. Put yourself in their
shoes. Realize that they may be dealing with difficult situations.
When
you encounter a difficult person, try to put yourself in their shoes. Difficult
people are only being difficult because they’re having difficult situations.
Listen
to them instead of judging them. Listen to the person’s problems, if you are
patient enough, after he or she is done being difficult. If not, listen to your
gut, instincts, and what others have to say.
For
example, your girlfriend or boyfriend may be acting difficult to you. After
listening, you may discover that they’re trying to get your attention because
they need you. They aren’t taking you for granted or intentionally being a
brat.
The
idea is to ensure that you don’t react impulsively on a negative way. You
probably won’t feel so upset about them once you understand where they are
coming from.
2. Realize they are not bad people –
they are just difficult
Many
people dealing with different clients, such as waiters and customer service
representatives. They have to deal with irate customers every single day. Some
of them made them miserable as they had to deal with rude people all the time.
Remember
that these people are not bad people nor your enemies. They are just difficult
clients. It’s easy to hop in the negative thought train and be paranoid. But
don’t board that train. It’s just going to end up in a wreck. Difficult people
are simply difficult people. With that in mind, find that one solution to deal
with them.
Example,
think from “This customer is so annoying! I wish I could punch him” to “This is
just another difficult person. I’ll do my job the best way I can anyway.”
3. Be the bigger person.
You
will most likely react negatively to a difficult person because you will talk
or even fight back. But you have to learn how to be quiet. The whole idea here
is to be the bigger person although it is very tempting to give in.
The
difficult one is long gone and far from being the bigger person. This idea may
sound counter-intuitive and challenging, but nobody said being the bigger
person is easy.
You
take the reins in your hands. People will respect you more that way. You’ll
also grow as person a lot faster as you will know that you now will able to go
through difficult times without causing any real trouble.
4. Focus intensely on being yourself so
you don’t become like them
The
last thing you want to happen is to become like them. The best revenge is
always leading your own life and showing others how awesome and capable you are.
Again, to react negatively and ultimately becoming difficult yourself is very
easy. I doubt you want that.
So
keep reflecting inwards instead. Think about how the situation can improve your
life rather than how you can get back at them or make them suffer.
Difficult people may be
difficult and annoying, but your life shouldn’t be made difficult because of
them. Your life is your own.
5. Know when to totally end the
relationship
There’re
two schools of thought here.
First,
you should end the relationship with a difficult person because you owe it to
yourself to live in a positive environment. A negative environment doesn’t do
you any good to you and a positive one can transform your life for the better
almost instantaneously.
There’s
no excuse to be in a negative environment filled with difficult people. You
don’t need any of that nonsense.
Second,
sometimes ending the relationship is better for both you and the difficult
person in question.
Some
people personally fall out with their few friends because they need it. These
difficult people need to make their own mistakes in order to grow. To stick
around and allow them to be difficult is simply allowing them to fuel their own
negative energy and take those around them for granted. They’ll never learn
that way.
So if you care enough, dump
them. Walk away and let them grow. It’s for the best.