First things first. If you do not want to deal with difficult people, or any difficulty for that matter, then you’re wasting your time reading this article. You will run away all your life. No place on earth is safe from difficult people. You really have no choice but to learn how to face them squarely and effectively.
A run-away once dived into the deepest depth of the ocean floor hoping to evade all difficult, smart alecks on earth and vowed never to return on dry land. He found two underwater tunnels and stopped to decide which one to take. As he went for one, his thoughts told him, “Wrong choice, silly!” Not long after, there beneath the earth, he finally learned to live with the worst difficult person he has ever known - himself. Here are some practical steps to develop the willpower to deal with difficut people.+
- You must like people. All people take all sorts of attitudes. Liking people is the first sure step to triumph. Avoiding them, especially the difficult ones, is a sure road to becoming difficult yourself. So the first natural thing to do is go out and meet people. Very soon, you will meet difficult people. Greet them and genially accept whatever reaction they give you. Don’t be discouraged but greet more of them regularly until you get used to them, and until your LOT skyrockets to record-breaking heights. They may be rude and cruel, but no one’s ever heard of getting shot or killed by greeting difficult people.
- Smile. Most touchy people can be neutralized by a friendly smile. So practice putting on a pleasant, simple, friendly smile in front of a mirror. Public speakers and actors study their facial expressions facing a mirror. Political and beauty aspirants take time with a photographer just putting on the best smile that exudes confidence and friendliness. A smile, they say, says it all. Regardless of how your face looks, a smile always puts on warmth and comeliness. A good smile always arrests the temper, even that of difficult people. So always smile.
- Be sincere. A smile helps a lot, but sincerity gives your smile credibility. A mere smile is a matter of facial muscle flexing. When this alone is involved, the smile becomes unnatural. Put your heart into it! A sincere heart will automatically show if you live a life of sincerity. Practice sincerity. Always be sincere in all you do daily. When your heart gets used to being sincere, smiling sincerely becomes natural. Difficult people can see right through you, and sincerity melts their hearts.
- Listen well. Almost every difficult people want to talk much more than they listen. This is the main problem in communication. Difficult people love to talk and want people to listen to them. In a nutshell that’s what they are. Basically, you cannot put two difficult persons together and have them talk. Difficult people avoid each other once they recognize each other. If they are made to sit down and listen, they won’t stand it. They will either stand up and steal the scene, or just walk out. If you are working for or with a difficult person, or worse locked up with him for life, practice becoming a good listener. You must learn the wisdom of enjoying listening. Few have this wisdom. Most people think there is wisdom in monopolizing a conversation. As in business, this only results in unfairness and silent protests. You can make difficult people happy when you just listen to them. Not many can do this. When you are a good listener, even the most difficult people tend to trust you with their secrets. Then you begin to know them as they reveal who they really are. You begin to understand them deeper; thus, you will be able to help them better. As they open up their secrets, understand and love them more.
