How to Deal with Different Personalities at Work or School

Every now and then, there are people in the workplace or even in school that no matter what you do, you can’t seem to manage or get along. It may be easier if you are a supervisor or the boss as you can easily talk to them and advise them that their performance appraisal is coming up. However, if you are in the same rank as them, you are left with only two choices and that is confronting them or totally avoiding them.

While it is always easier to avoid them, experts believe this will only result to further hostility which may later on do more damage than good. Dr. Judith Orloff, a psychiatrist and author of “The Ecstasy of Surrender” believes letting go of reactivity is the best option to handle these difficult and different personalities. Taking a break or calming yourself may increase patience and can lead to better conversation than an argument.

5 Types of Personalities Which are Difficult to Handle

Anger Addicts – these type of people are either angry at other people, at the company, or most of the time, at themselves. They create a bad taste of tension in the workplace, making it a destructive conduct, making them a challenge to deal with.

Passive-Aggressive – these people are the types that promise one thing but do the exact opposite. It may be considered as a form of anger but never directed at you. Dr. Orloff explains that it’s a type of character disorder that may be due to a deeper reason.

Narcissists – these people consider themselves as very important and usually crave for attention or praise. Self-absorbed and may lack the ability to empathize, they are mostly too occupied in their own little worlds to care about what’s happening in the team or the other people around them.

Gossips – these people have the constant need to talk about people, either behind their backs or upfront. Creating a destructive behavior due to their bickering about other employees, bosses or even the competition, this kind of behavior should never be tolerated.

Guilt Trippers – these people have no problem airing their sentiments especially if they think they deserve that promotion and they did not get it.

How to Deal With These Types of Difficult People

Anger Addicts: An intervention is needed to subdue their unacceptable conduct, with limits and boundaries being set specifically by authorities and Human Resources. It is best to have them tested as well for counseling and anger management as their little burst of outrage may reflect badly on the workplace.

Passive-Aggressive: As they have the ability to empathize, motivating them may be the best weapon to pacify them. Setting objectives and expectations or placing them in areas where they can’t any loopholes in their duties may help them become productive and great employees.

Gossips: Never allow their gossiping to get under your skin and try your best to make them understand that talking about other people, whether true or rumors, is never helpful for the workplace. Try placing them in Public Relations to help them enhance their people skills.

Guilt Trippers: Educate them about proper communication and allowing them to work on independent projects to help enhance their skills other than making you feel guilty.