Thirty tips for dealing with difficult people

this page will be elaborated soon

Attitude

• make the other person more important than you
• communicate
• don’t judge them
• don’t turn it into a fight
• see every attack as a cry for help

While an encounter is happening

• recognise it’s their stuff
• be assertive
• think before you speak [sometimes less is more]
• think about what’s going on for them [they may be fearful, anxious, sleep-derived…]
• see they are like us
• help them
• respect them
• be open
• don’t blame
• listen to them
• be curious
• maintain a good attitude
• be aware of your body language and tone of voice
• stay in Adult [in TA terms]
• see the truth in what they say, however badly expressed
• see that they’re doing the best the can in the circumstances
• act on any complaints, issues they may have
• consider whether it’s you that’s making them difficult
• see that dealing with difficult people is part of your job, not an impediment to it
• recognise it’s your stuff

Long term

• build trust – act with integrity, consistency, openness
• build rapport
• recognise their qualities
• recognise their potential
• work on the relationship
• do what you say you’re going to do
• see it as an opportunity for your self development

by Jeremy Marchant . © 2014 Jeremy Marchant Limited . last updated 25 january 2015 . image:  Free images