Have you ever worked with someone you thought was difficult. Did you dread every encounter? Well you are not alone.

The reality is that “difficult” people are everywhere and they come from all walks of life. You can't always avoid working or coming in contact with difficult people, but you can learn to deal and manage the situation more effectively.

Let's look at some practical tips that could help save your sanity and guide you to become a more effective and successful manager or co-worker.

Accept that people are different.

Not everyone has the same set of values, beliefs, experiences or upbringing. You may come across people with similarities or find things that you share in common but even then there still will be some unique personal differences. There are many possible differences including cultural, social, academic or even differences of opinion or ideas. The first step to working successfully with people is to accept that differences do exist and not all people are the same.

Accept that Differences are not wrong.

The second step to working successfully with people is to accept that differences are not wrong. If you work with someone who has a different idea or opinion, it is important to recognise that this opinion is not wrong, simply different. Often conflict arises when people are unable to manage or deal with differences. In order to maximise your personal effectives and deal with difficult people it is important that you accept that different is not wrong, different is just different.

Understand your behaviour.

An effective method to better manage interpersonal relationships is to understand your behaviour and the impact that you have on others. This may also give you an insight into how people perceive you in the workplace and the way that they approach and work with you. By better understanding behaviour, it is possible to become more personally effective when dealing and communicating with others on a daily basis. 
There are many tools that you can use to get an insight into your behaviour and the behaviour of others. For more information on self assessment products please email us. 

Understand the behaviour of others.

An understanding of another's behaviour provides you with an insight into their wants, needs and motivation. Understanding behaviour can also direct you to adapt your communication style to suit the needs of others. The end result will enable you to get things done faster and with less fuss, thereby increasing your overall effectiveness.

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