Perhaps there are no difficult people – only situations in which people seem to us to be difficult. Author Adam Kahane takes a quick look at those situations where we find ourselves having to work with people we consider difficult. He writes about it in a short blog (find it here) that is worth a quick read.
Kahane gives three things for us to think about when we are facing those people we consider to be difficult. In summary these are:
- Create low-stakes spaced: That is, start off by just listening, or trying things our, or just having a meeting. These are early opportunities to experiment with creating new connections with the person.
- Look for patters in your frustrations: In particular, see if we are actually part of the problem, and can then work to be part of the solution.
- Practice letting go: We have the choice about who we work with – sometimes the best choice is to choose not to work with someone. That’s ok.
In concluding, Kahane reminds us that none of this is easy or foolproof, but if we want to be able to collaborate, then we have to be willing to change ourselves. And the Avondale Business School is able to help you with change. To find out how, contact Warrick Long on 02 4980 2168 or [email protected].