Managing difficult people is without a doubt, an absolute challenge for all of us. We have previously looked at many of the 12 Steps in Preparation and Planning in Managing Difficult People. We have looked more closely at many of these steps in different posts – Steps 1 to 2; Steps 3 to 4; Steps 5 to 6; and Steps 7 to 8. Now in this blog post we will now be considering the Steps 9 to 10 in managing difficult people.

STEP 9 IN AIMING TO BE OPEN AND HONEST AND NO MUDDY WATERS

Do not get caught up in playing mind games and swimming in muddy water when Dealing with Difficult People. This will claim all your time and energy and divert your focus from actually dealing with people. Decide that your actual aim and goal to be as open and honest as you possibly can and keep the waters clean and clear.

Attempting to be deceptive will seriously damage your reputation with everyone else. Remember a good reputation can take years to develop and minutes to destroy. So don’t get involved in trying to play deceptive games, it is just too exhausting to be dishonest.

Be yourself and be clear, honest and open in all your relationships with people in your personal and working life.

STEP 10 IN ALWAYS BEING RESPECTFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE

Along with your determination to remain honest and open, goes the need to be respectful. Dealing with difficult people always stretches your ability to still be respectful towards these people that you find so frustrating and so annoying. But be aware, abusing other people and being disrepectful only confirms a lack of control on your part. Make sure to strive, no matter how very hard it seems to always be respectful in your communication in dealing with people, particularly those who truly stretch your patience to the limit. This does not mean that you put up with unacceptable behaviour from others. But it does mean that you do not resort to similar unacceptable behaviour as these difficult people.

TWO FINAL STEPS IN MANAGING DIFFICULT PEOPLE

Certainly difficult people do always make it a real challenge to remain honest, open and respectful. But this must be your own personal goal. Now in the next post we’ll consider the final two steps in your 12 steps in preparing and planning for managing difficult people.