Dealing With Difficult People

Stress Defined
What is stress? Why do people say "I feel stressed!"? The most common source of stress comes from dealing with difficult people, and, according to psychology experts, stress itself and feeling stress are results of chemicals being released from the body in to the blood, and happen as a result of actions that take place outside the body. Whether it is dealing with difficult people or that problem with a dripping tap effect- or something as simple as a rainy day, these can all cause feelings of stress or anxiety. Identical to an infection, a small problem gets worse if left to develop. Stress levels resulting from stressful situations are often worsened because they are dwelt upon instead of being rationalized. Hence, the most stressed people are often not the most rational.

Reasons for stress
Apart from partners, where do almost all confrontations occur? The workplace. More specific- certain difficult people in your workplace. After all, you spend the majority of your waking hours working. Bosses generally spend the most time dealing with dificult people, although jobs dealing with the public can be stressful in this way too. In order to own and respect yourself, you must be equipped at dealing with difficult people effectively, and, according to two surveys conducted in 2006-07(conducted by labour force*), over half a million people in the UK thought that they were experiencing stress at work to an extent where it was affecting their health. In other words, they weren't equipped. Not all stress can be blamed on difficult people, but alot can be traced back. That shows a lot of people who can't solve their problems effectively, and that's just the ones that admit to it- the actual figure is far greater!

*Surveys conducted by Labour Force for Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETINI)

Difficult People: Type 1- The Dominant

These are natural leaders and usually seem the toughest to handle at first because they are very dominant. Feared and respected more than the boss. Unquestioned by colleagues and avoided by seniors, the dominant, seeks to own every person and thing where they work, and often:

• have a set way of doing things,
• become frustrated when they think people are challenging them,
• abusive in arguments, critical of others,
• rough to people in public.
• set goals and will do anything to achieve them
• quite big physically
• Must maintain their ego

Tackling difficult person type 1
This type of difficult person relies on dominance to get what they want.
They seek to display their ego at every opportunity. Completely ignore it. Remain neutral, and asking open ended questions (calmly) about the situation, the problem will be solved quickly. You can also try and create a diversion by asking a related question, to calm them down. Agree where you can.
Remember: Although (dominant) difficult people put their image before anything else, don't let them talk down to you- you are all there to do a job and should work like cogs in a machine. You are all needed.

This blog about dealing with difficult people will enable the reader who acts on the information to gain control over situations they have in the work place and elsewhere with difficult people. There are many reasons people are difficult to other people, and each post on this blog aims to explain different tactics for overcoming problems with people who are difficult and also shows the different personalities of people that clash, when together. The situations described in the posts on this blog also make an effort at being slightly humourous as anyone who takes them selves too seriously at any time is open to being torn to shreds by playful banter which they have provoked by their own actions. See the next post.or something.