In a perfect world, difficult people would not exist, especially in the workplace. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world and often we do not choose the people we work with. So an important skill to learn is how to deal with difficult people at work with minimal disruptions.
What makes a person difficult to deal with?
This comes down to personalities. Some find confident people hard to work with. Others find shy people difficult to work along side. Obnoxious people are often challenging. Talkative people can cause issues. People who refuse to eat quietly or groom themselves can cause stress in the workplace. Difficult people are everywhere and cannot be avoided but learning how to handle difficult people puts you one step ahead of everyone else.
Here are 5 ways to handle difficult people at work:
- Listen and validate what they have to say. The first step is to really listen, hearing their concerns, not what you think their concerns might be. When someone feels their voice has been heard, they feel validated and often can open up to negotiations.
- Don’t just agree for the sake of agreeing. When dealing with a difficult person, the easiest thing to do is agree to keep the peace. Have a clear idea of your own point of view before getting into any discussion.
- Stick to the facts. There are always two sides to every story and by sticking to the facts, often fault can be found from both parties. Look to yourself and your own issues and whether there is something about yourself that may require altering to alleviate the problem.
- Agree to disagree. We do not always have to agree on everything and sometimes it is easier to accept this before heading into a confrontation with a work colleague. Voicing an opinion is one thing, but demanding the other person agrees will not achieve anything.
- Seek assistance. Some situations require the help of a third party like management. If all else fails and mature discussions have been had, request assistance.
Preferred Training Networks are experts at helping you and your team learn how to deal with difficult people.
For further information:
Ph: 1300 323 752 email: mail@preftrain.com.au