How to Respond to a Verbal Put-Down
During a lifetime, and quite a bit during those pesky adolescent and teen years, you will be subjected to put-downs. Put-downs are hurtful and unkind, often causing the person on the receiving end to feel inadequate and filled with the desire to lash out. However, getting emotional over a put-down is one of the worst reactions to have. A steady head, calm voice and lack of emotion will always prevail.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Decipher if the put-down is meant to be hurtful and rude, or simply the person's poor attempt at humor. People who put down others are often insecure and feel the need to have the upper hand in a situation. However, sometimes people who put down others don't realize they're doing it. Those people's main fault is that they lack social skills and an appropriate sense of humor.
-
2
Ignore the verbal put-down. If the abuser doesn't get a reaction from you, he may be inclined to stop the put-downs.
-
-
3
Call the abuser out. But instead of lobbing a put-down back, simply tell him that his comment was rude, unprofessional (if in a business setting) and not appreciated. This tactic will often catch the abuser off guard, making him feel stupid and childish. If the person who is verbally abusing you is an important business contact, get him alone before explaining that the comment was not appreciated.
-
4
Report the verbal put-downs to a superior or human resource manager if they occur in a business setting. Many employers have anti-harassment policies that do no allow this kind of behavior. Furthermore, if the put-downs are violent or sexual in nature, you may be able to take legal action.
-
1
