5 Ways to Deal with Difficult People at Your Workplace You will find difficult people everywhere, but dealing with difficult people at your workplace is a tad bit different and complicated
By Bhavya Kaushal •
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Just like the world is incomplete without love, it is incomplete without conflict. We face conflict in a relationship at every stage of our lives with almost everyone who crosses our path at some point in time. While there are several dimensions to view and deal with relationships at home, it is an equally difficult task to tackle conflict in the workplace with people around you. While there are several activities such as bullying and sexual harassment that should have an authoritative eye, there are other aspects that can be disturbing. For anyone who has worked, there is always a difficult colleague or a person who makes your work troublesome. While it is important to encounter such people as they help us broaden our horizon, here are some ways to overcome this universal predicament.
ShutterstockLook at Them as Allies
A person will be your enemy till you believe so. If you look at the difficult person with an accusing eye all the time, chances are that he will stay your enemy for the rest of your life. One should learn to look through the person and try to look at him or her as someone who is helping you to expand your life. Turning your enemy into your ally doesn't mean that you start lunching with him or pretending to be friends with him because that will make you look like a fake person. Rather it means to be polite and courteous in your conduct including the fact that doesn't go on lamenting to the world how difficult your life this person has made.
Focus on the Goals of the Organization
Instead of focusing on the person who is making your life difficult, focus on the goals of the organization. Ask yourself why you are in the organization? Often when you are consumed by a matter that is worrisome, your focus gets shifted completely away from your goals or the goals of the organization. Reiterating them is a good way to spur yourself into action that will result in growth and productivity rather than getting defeated or bogged by the presence of a person.
Keep Safe Distance
Distance is very important because space and distance give people a chance to breathe. You don't have to confront the difficult person every time and everywhere because that can lead to altercations and unnecessary negativity. Keep distance so that you develop perspective and also so that you can analyze the behaviour of him or her only to develop a better perspective of how he or she should be tackled.
Rise Above Petty Matters
Have you ever wondered why birds signify freedom? This is because they live in a league of their own. They fly at high altitudes, much more over and above the ground level. As human beings, we should strive to become like them. We should rise above the petty matters of day-to-day life so that we break the manacles of conflict, stress and worries and find our true freedom.
ShutterstockA Genuine Dialogue
World leaders around the globe are able to solve big issues and problems. They are able to arrive at different conclusions that work best for their countries and communities. How? The answer is genuine dialogue. A genuine dialogue enables you to perceive the true reality of a person and you are able to gain wisdom to deal with the person and the problem as a whole.
