Difficult people. If you’ve been lucky today, then you haven’t had to deal with the horror of someone difficult coming to explode their negativity all over you, seemingly taking great joy in ruining your day. But if you’re an online marketer, you already know that these people are everywhere – and more often than not, they will make a beeline for you.
So, what can you do next time someone who sets your teeth on edge decides to make it their mission to ruin your day while limiting your exposure and the stress caused by dealing with these toxic people? According to a TalentSmart survey which looked at top performers in their industries worldwide, 90% of the best control their emotions, remain calm and in control while having the ability to neutralize the source of their aggravation.
How can you follow in their footsteps? First thing is to realize that you can take control of the situation, and the first way to do this is by setting your limits. If someone is complaining, you don’t need to join the pity party – in fact, you can distance yourself from it, or tell complainers that you will work with them to productively fix the situation.
So, what about crazy people? Once again, beat a retreat: you can’t fight crazy, so don’t even try. All you are responsible for is dealing with facts – not irrational notions and ideas. You’ll also need to stay aware of your emotions and realize when someone is pushing your buttons – and know when to retreat in order to avoid making a situation worse.
Essentially, dealing with difficult people is about realizing that you are in control and setting firm boundaries, retreating when they are not respected. Difficult people will always exist – but it’s how you choose to deal with them that makes the real difference.