Insight gained from this week’s discussion about leadership is the way to handle and deal with difficult people. Dealing with difficult people can be tough, frustrating, and challenging. The formation of positive interpersonal relationships arises, especially when there are difficult people within an organization, who ignore interests and needs of other employees. If an individual knows how to carry themselves and communicate with difficult people he or she will rarely have any serious difficulties with the individuals, though it does not mean that this person will be able to establish friendly relationships with difficult people.
Knowledge gained about myself is the way I interact with difficult people can be improved for the better. In life and within a organization there will be different types of difficult people (Benfari, 1999, p. 208). As an upcoming leader, I have to learn how to keep the conversation neutral when dealing with difficult people. Another insight I gained was the importance of accepting the reality of the characteristics complicated people obtain. When dealing with difficult people, I have realized from experience not to try to change the other person.
Trying to change the other individual will only lead to a power struggle, and cause defensiveness, and make things worse. It also makes you a more difficult person to deal with. Insight I was able to capitalize on from my classmates and my own understandings, when dealing with difficult people is to try to have a positive outlook on the situation. When dealing with complex individuals the key is to remember most relationship difficulties are due to a self-motivated between two people rather than one person being unruly and evil. Another important fact is to change the way I respond to difficult people.
Responding to challenging people in a healthy way can improve opportunity of a healthier pattern forming. Behaviors I will change are the ways I communicate with difficult people. When communicating with challenging people I will try to look for their positive attributes when dealing with family and people in an organization. From experience the other party will feel more appreciated. Another behavior I will try to change is realizing what’s under my control. Realizing what’s under my control will help me when communicating with difficult people to change my response to a more positive one, this is all I have the power to change.
For example, don’t feel I need to accept abusive behavior. Using assertive communication is a behavior I can capitalize on to draw boundaries when the other person chooses to treat me in an unacceptable way. The clarity in my communication skills is a characteristic I will work on. From experience when leaders are conveying a message sometimes the message they are trying to deliver comes out confusing and creates tension. When a leader initiates a challenging conversation, a leader should be honest and use direct language. Clarity will help to facilitate resolution of the problematic conversation.
A strategy to use before a difficult conversation is to write down the brief content of your message and devise a strategy for delivering it. As a learning experience the way I deal with difficult people as a leader can have a major impact on an organization. How an individual handles a difficult person depends on their self-esteem, and self-confidence, and professional courage a person possess. Challenging people and situations exist in the work place and on the home front. No matter what type of difficult situation we face the most important aspect is to handle it before it erupts.
