Difficult people are all around. Most professionals at work will encounter and have to effectively deal with someone who will challenge them in many ways. Some people at work are difficult because they are experiencing a great deal of pressure and stress and it’s affecting them in negative ways. Others just have personalities that don’t fit in the work environment. Regardless of the reason, certain employees, colleagues and co-workers can present very unique challenges that cannot be ignored.
Physical and Emotional Health
Dealing with these types of personalities can create wear and tear on people both physically and emotionally. Negative, aggressive or dramatic people can be draining and consume a lot of one’s energy. They can also cause negative consequences to one’s immune system resulting in more frequent cold and flu-like symptoms and conditions. They increase one’s stress, anxiety, and can lead to work-related depression, as well as cause sleepless nights.
Be Prepared
There are many ways to handle these types of personalities. An intelligent and measured approach may be best and involve being proactive instead of reactive. If one expects certain difficult behaviors from a colleague, wouldn’t it be best to be prepared for it? One can also learn better coping skills and practice resilience. An individual’s way of communication and behaving can also be mastered to deal with almost any problematic personality in the workplace.
Types of Personalities at Work
No two employees are alike and they all come with very unique personalities that can be an issue to deal with. Some will be resistant and not listen or take one’s advice. Some can be overly dependent and follow an individual around like his or her shadow. These types tend to be rather clingy and needy, but still problematic. There are those staff members who need to feel they are in control no matter what. It’s their way or the highway. Others can be intrusive, abusive, dysfunctional, stressful and even pathological.
How to Deal with These Personalities
Prevention is best. Get to know these people well and try to understand what makes them difficult. What drives their behaviors, personality, and motives? Identify triggers or stressors that may make them go off and actively listen to them, as difficult as this may be at times. Listening is better than talking in many instances, because much can be learned by listening. Engage in open and honest communication with them. Lend a hand and try to build trust and a good rapport. Just because they are difficult doesn’t mean they don’t want healthy relationships with others. Perhaps they just don’t know how to go about developing them.
Manage Yourself
Never become threatening or overly defensive. Always be firm but professional. Always address difficult people by their name, making the conversation more personal. Be genuine, caring, respectful and dignified. Be the role model for professional behavior. Show kindness and patience as well. Managing difficult people sometimes comes down to managing one’s self.
Take Away
There will always be challenging and difficult people in every workplace regardless of the industry. They may be difficult for a number of reasons that are obvious and not so obvious. Perhaps they are under immense amounts of stress and are reacting due to a lack of healthy coping skills. Regardless, there are ways to navigate the workplace amid resistant, dependent, intrusive, and dysfunctional employees. It’s all about how one manages him- or herself.