How to Handle Someone Who Is Disrespectful

Many people have to deal with disrespectful coworkers.

Bullying is not something only children have to confront. Many people deal with bullies in the workplace or their daily life. The situation can be even worse if the person in question is a superior or boss. She may try to make you look foolish, intimidate you or even threaten you. Unfortunately, simply avoiding her is not always an option. You need to learn to stay calm and diffuse the situation. It may not be easy, but you should be able to train yourself to deal with difficult people.

Instructions

1. Ignore the person if possible. If you are not forced to work, live or communicate with the person disrespecting you, avoid putting yourself in situations where you have to deal with him whenever you can.

2. Stay calm and avoid getting angry. Sudden rage might provoke you into an outburst, but this might be exactly what the person wants. If you show that you are upset, you let her know how to push your buttons whenever she wants. Be aware of what makes you upset and teach yourself to shrug it off. This is harder than it sounds and may take some time.

3. Talk to the person directly. Let him know that he is upsetting you. It's possible the person being disrespectful isn't aware of his behavior. Even if he is aware of his behavior, talking to him about it may make open his eyes about his actions. Ask him why he is upset and show that you are willing to communicate. Repeat yourself as many times as necessary.

4. Do not put yourself in an adversarial position. Be the bigger person and show that you're willing to get along with the other person. Even if this does not solve the problem, it will make you feel better.

5. Have confidence in yourself. A disrespectful person is trying to break you down and make you doubt yourself. If you refuse to give in to the abuse, the person should tire eventually and leave you alone.

6. Try to understand why the person is disrespecting you. Although treating you with disrespect is not justifiable, she may have legitimate reasons for being upset. If you have done something to upset her, you may want to try to rectify it. Conversely, if you have nothing to do with her disposition, it will give you peace of mind.

Tips & Warnings

• If disrespect ever becomes abusive, walk away, and if it becomes physical, call the police.

References

• Psychology Today; Dealing With Difficult People; Nando Pelusi
• Dealing with Difficult People: Home Page
• NewKerala.com; Successfully Dealing With Controlling, Aggressive and Difficult People in Your Life; Carolyn McFann