Amy Gallo: How To Get Along with Anyone (Even Difficult People)

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In episode 175 of the?Love In Action Podcast, I sat down with Amy Gallo, contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, co-host of HBR’s Women at Work podcast, and the author of Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People).

Amy and I discuss a research-based, practical guide for how to handle difficult people at work. She covers a few of the archetypes we may encounter at work and some helpful solutions for effectively co-existing in the workplace.

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3 Key Highlights from Episode 175:

1. Clean Up Your Side of the Street

When it comes to workplace relationships, Amy shares foundational tips that will apply to working with all types of difficult people (the archetypes listed below). Raise your self-awareness, get the big picture, and ask yourself,?“How can I make sure my thoughts, actions, and behaviors are aligned with my values and goals in my relationships.” We need to be cognizant of how we can be inviting or triggering the behaviors of the “difficult people” we may face at work.

2. The Archetypes

Amy covers three archetypes from her research and book:

The Passive Aggressive Peer: When working with a co-worker demonstrating passive-aggressive behavior, consider “What is the underlying message?” Oftentimes passive aggressive behaviors come from a place of fear, insecurity, or desire to avoid conflict. Frame conversations and interactions in a way that may open up their true thoughts or message and invite a safe place.

The Pessimist: Working with a pessimist co-worker can create a negative fog in the workplace. It’s important to validate their feelings, find a place for their “risk assessment”, and especially set forth a practice that invites positivity and support. “If you set boundaries against extreme pessimists, that dark cloud over their head might change," says Amy.

The Know-it-all: When it comes to the American workplace, “We tend to value confidence over competence.” This is how incompetent, narcissistic individuals often come into leadership positions. Tips: Hold your ground and pocket some phrases to protect your voice and knowledge during meetings. Invite in peer support if your own voice isn’t doing the trick.

3. Protect Yourself?

Sometimes we put in our best effort to help someone see their negative behavior, and the behavior just doesn’t change. In such cases, it becomes a matter of protecting yourself. Amy has some great tips for keeping yourself and your position safe.

Listen on?Apple Podcasts?|?Google Podcasts?|?Spotify | Website | RSS

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About the Love In Action Podcast

The?Love in Action Podcast?inspires leaders to reimagine the conditions necessary for creating human-centered and humane workplaces where people and businesses flourish. Episodes are published every Thursday and can be heard on your favorite podcast platform or?viewed on YouTube. If you like what you hear, be sure to?leave us a review!

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