A Survival Guide: Dealing with Difficult People

A recent study of 835 employees from public, private, and nonprofit firms looked at what circumstances create the greatest stress in the workplace. A resounding 75% of them said that the biggest drain on their resilience reserves was “managing difficult people or office politics at work” (Bond and Shapiro, 2014).

Difficult people in the workplace can come in many forms. From people who aggressively defend their differing opinions, to people who intimidate others and engage in inappropriate behaviour, to people who are scared, hurt, or angry over organizational issues who seek to disrupt the workplace culture. Regardless of the form it takes, being able to effectively deal with these people is a crucial skill for any leader.

Conflict is really uncomfortable, and most people seek to avoid it. However, whether we attempt to avoid confrontation or choose to tackle it head on, both situations can lead to significant stress. In some circumstances we can feel torn between two difficult choices: to maintain the a feminine stance of compassion and empathy and allow people to continue with their behaviour, or to take a more bold masculine approach and control the situation. If we do the latter, we risk other’s seeing us as flouting our typical role expectations.

In an interactive session for Business Women Australia, I will be sharing some of my experiences and insights on dealing with difficult situations in different workplace and personal contexts. Join me at the Leederville Success Circle (Perth) for a great discussion, and walk away with tips on how to set boundaries and speak your truth with confidence, and skills to shake off negative emotions once it’s over.

If you are looking for time-effective training solutions to arm your staff and leadership team with practical skills in resilience and positive communication, contact me or go to my website.