Executive Spotlight: How To Deal With Difficult Stakeholders & Peers
Do you ever feel like you’re navigating a tightrope when it comes to your relationships with various stakeholders and peers? If your answer is yes, it’s not surprising. Whether you’re leading a team or working as an individual contributor, difficult personalities can cause serious frustration and derail progress.
It’s natural to want to avoid such people, but the best way to handle them is to confront the situation head-on. Here are some tips for managing difficult stakeholders and peers:
1. Stay Calm & Collected
When an individual is difficult to work with, it can be easy to lose your cool and slip into an argument. However, instead of engaging in a power struggle, take a step back and ensure to remain calm and respectful.
2. Establish and Maintain Clear Boundaries
The way to reset the relationship with difficult personalities is to create and maintain clear boundaries. This means articulating the terms of their interaction and refusing to compromise too much. It’s important to ask yourself what you’re willing and not willing to do and to communicate this clearly to the other person.
3. Show Respect & Empathy
Empathy is essential for managing challenging relationships. While it’s important to be firm and assert your boundaries, it’s also important to approach the other person with understanding and compassion. Remember that individuals may be difficult because of personal issues, and try to see things from their perspective.
4. Find Common Ground
No matter how difficult the situation may seem, it’s always worthwhile to look for common ground. Try to find a few points of agreement and build on those. Once common ground is established, it’s easier to communicate and explore potential solutions.
5. Avoid Bullying & Manipulation
It can be tempting to use bullying or manipulation in order to have your way. However, this doesn’t do anything to improve the situation and can only result in further conflict. Instead, focus on the facts of the situation and maintain respect for all parties involved.
Conclusion
Dealing with difficult stakeholders and peers is never easy, especially in a professional setting. While it can be tempting to develop a conflict-avoidant attitude, the best approach is to stay calm, set clear boundaries, and practice respect and empathy. Additionally, it is important to remember to look for common ground and avoid bullying and manipulation. With the right approach, it’s possible to find solutions that make everyone happy.
