There are several kinds of personalities, and in this blog, we will talk about the top 5 difficult personality types and how to deal with them. As entrepreneurs or even stay-at-home moms, we encounter a lot of people from all walks of life. Be it our neighbors or our clients, we must know how to deal with different personalities. We all have different backgrounds and different ways on how to tackle each of them. Let’s be familiar with the top 5, so we will also be in the know whenever we encounter them.
Personality Type 1: The Negative One
Behavior: Always tells you why your ideas won’t work. Distrusts anyone in power. He believes that his way is the only way. His motto is: I told you so.
How to Deal:
Stay positive, but be realistic. Tell him you understand his concerns and appreciate the perspective. However, refuse to argue and stick with the facts.
Personality Type 2: The Complainer
Behavior: Has the habit of seeing the glass as half empty and complaining incessantly instead of finding a solution.
How to Deal:
Maintain control by bringing up the disadvantages yourself and then dismiss them logically. Direct the complainer’s attention to the more positive side of the situation. Don’t give too much eye contact.
Personality Type 3: The “Yes” Man
Behavior: Always taking on all the responsibilities and, in the end, gets overwhelmed.
How to Deal:
This personality often overcommits themselves and cannot say “no.” Carefully limit how much you ask them. Let them know that they are taking on too many responsibilities. Affirm their contributions and help them to say “No.”
Personality Type 4: The Slave Driver
Behavior: They keep sending things your way without considering your current workload.
They don’t reveal their true motives. It is important to get them to participate in meetings to not leave with their hidden agendas and work against the team.
How to Deal:
Ask them open-ended questions to get them to talk. One way or another, you’ll be able to get information from the things they are saying. Even if this person becomes unresponsive and the silence becomes awkward, wait.
Personality Type 5: The Passive-Aggressive
Behavior: They discount your authority in shrewd ways by using sarcasm, which is often disguised as a joke. They will use flowery words with their criticisms.
How to Deal:
Try to turn their attention and comments to the issues, not the personalities involved. Once they realize that you won’t play along, they usually stop. Avoid open confrontation.
In Summary
Keep these communication strategies up your sleeve as you go about your week — I’m sure you’ll find an opportunity to use them at least once. It is vital that we know these 5 Difficult Personality Types and How To Deal with Them and support positive change. Please encourage them to learn new coping skills. When you can deal with difficult people successfully, you also build trust, and your coping mechanisms will also improve. Therefore, you also win for yourself.
