There was a viral clip that recently got us thinking. It was of a parish council meeting via Zoom in which grown adults seemed to be behaving like petulant children.
You can see the video here
Dealing with difficult people at work is never a pleasant experience but with these handy tips you should be able to master any encounter.
Peace Is Your Power
Peace truly is power. It is the ability to remain calm. If you meet someone you truly can’t stand and want to throttle (we’ve all met them) practice being peaceful around them.
Not only will this irritate them when they go out of their way to make you miserable and essentially fail, but mastering the art of calmness will have a knock on effect in other areas of your life. Soon it will become second nature and you won’t even need to practice it anymore.
You’ll know when you have mastered it because being around such people will no longer affect your mood. Additionally, it will also prevent an escalation of events that the difficult people at work want to happen.
Escalation Protocol
If dealing with difficult people at work becomes too much, take it up with the authority in the work place. Don’t just go and complain, though. Back up your testimony with credible evidence. Get that malcontent dead to rights.
Even if it has to be gotten on the sly. You deserve peace of mind even in a working environment just as much as they and if they are making you fret each time you even think about work, do something about it. Your mental health is too precious to allow blue or white collar jerks grind it down.
Concrete Wall
Sometimes when we meet or have to work around someone we truly can’t stand, become a concrete wall around them. Nothing comes in and nothing goes out.
In other words, where you can, do not communicate with them at all. Just don’t do it in a rude way or disrespectful way.
If they ask a genuine need to know question about work, answer it. If they try to get to know you personally and you don’t want to converse, don’t reply. They’ll get the message soon enough. This way, you remain professional while reinforcing boundaries. It takes a bit of practice like peace, but it works great overall.