Taming the Office Gremlins: Leadership Hacks for Dealing with Difficult People

Dr Rick Goodman
3 min readFeb 9, 2024

Let’s face it, mastering leadership isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. There will be days when you feel like you’re juggling flaming torches instead of leading a team. Enter the “difficult people,” those fire-breathing individuals who leave a trail of stress and frustration in their wake. But fear not, brave leader, for this blog post is your secret weapon to turning tantrums into triumphs.

Forget the Slaying, Embrace the Understanding:

Most blogs tell you to “confront” or “shut down” negativity. We say, hold on, partner! Imagine a dragon guarding a treasure. You wouldn’t just attack, would you? You’d learn its triggers, understand its motivations. The same applies to difficult people. A 2023 study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) revealed that 57% of employees have experienced workplace conflict, highlighting the need for effective conflict resolution strategies. So, ditch the dragon-slaying mentality and embrace the power of empathy. Actively listen, ask open-ended questions, and try to see things from their perspective. You might be surprised by what you uncover.

Words are Weapons, but Choose Wisely:

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Dr Rick Goodman

Leadership Expert at www.rickgoodman.com | Author The Solutions Oriented Leader | Motivational Keynote Speaker | Executive Coach, Life Coach, Team Building,