Dealing with difficult people at work in Nigeria is not so easy especially when they don’t feel happy with you. There’s this Boss that complains a lot, he finds fault with every little thing that you do. Or maybe there’s this difficult colleague at work that irritates you so much that you want to strangle him/her to death.
Perhaps it’s a colleague that’s jealous of your success and finds every opportunity to frustrate and make you look bad in front of the big boss. It could also be some godforsaken clients that just don’t know how to talk, pompous kids in adult skin trying to mess up your day; here are some tips on how to not lose your cool.
How to Deal With Difficult People At Work In Nigeria
How to Deal With Difficult People At Work In Nigeria
1. Know that you cannot escape
Trust me, you’re situation won’t get better if you don’t address it. Trying to run away from difficult people is like trying to move to another planet. It is virtually impossible to avoid them entirely, even if you leave that job. There are difficult people everywhere and anywhere. If you really want to avoid them totally, you have to take the next bus to an alternate universe. Yes, I ,mean you can’t escape them, only deal with them. How you deal with them will now make them either more difficult or less difficult. We’re hoping for less in this article, so read on.
2. Dealing with a difficult co-worker
I’ve been to so many workplaces while trying to help my clients figure out how to deal with a difficult co-worker, and I must tell you that putting your grievances in the person’s mailbox doesn’t work, neither does confronting them openly. Putting cockroaches or dead rats in his desk will only get you fired so just stop thinking about it.
- Examine yourself
Is the person really that infuriating? Or are you overreacting unnecessarily?
Do you have some sore topics or are there some specific things you don’t like at all. Self-examine yourself to be completely sure you’re not the one at fault. - Brainstorm
If you want to settle this amicably, without any form of public humiliation on both sides, you have to brainstorm a way to solve this amicably. Can’t give you specific steps since I don’t know exactly in what way the difficulty arises but you can leave a comment with your email address and I’ll get back to you. Talk to a friend, explain the situation to a mature and reasonable person, and you should both brainstorm ways to clear the issue peacefully. - Approach the person for a private discussion
You know, the person might actually have no idea the effects his words have on you. Approaching them in a calm and friendly manner privately can clue them in. let the person air out the reason why they have a problem with you and try in a pleasant manner to settle it amicably. If the person doesn’t react well to your approach, Do not let them know EXACTLY what they do to piss you off or some who are sadists will keep using it to push you red button till you flip. - If all else fails…..
If you’ve tried the steps above, and the person still tries their very best to make every day at the office help for you, you can approach your boss for a private discussion and persuade him to look into the matter.
3. Dealing with a difficult customer
Successful businesses are not just into selling products, they sell customer service too. The way they relate with customers ultimately lead to their business success. For you to be successful, you have to know that you will deal with angry customers, customers that make business difficult for you.
Here are some types lf difficult customers:
- The Angry
- The Impatient
- The Intimidation
- The Talkative
- The Demanding
- The Indecisive
For you to deal with your Nigerian customers professionally, the first thing to know is that you cannot control everyone’s behavior. But, you can influence them to a certain degree. When a customer tries to intimidate or bully, you should stay calm and proffer solutions like; ‘what can we do to help’. This question puts them on the spot and they have to calm down and answer or look foolish. Ask them what they would want to be done instead, and if it is not within your power, tell them that you would inform the manager of their request.
When a customer is actively being difficult, your job is to;
Stay calm – Listen and let the customer vent – Show the customer you care – Do not blame the customer or the company – Try to solve the problem or find someone who can.
The steps above can be very useful in dealing with customers in Nigeria who are proving difficult.
4. Dealing with a difficult boss.
This is the big league. Should you try anything funny, its bye bye to that sweet paying job. So you have to tread extremely carefully. Having a terrible boss can remove any form of enjoyment from any kind of job. It is so painful, not even being able to reply while he berates you publicly. I feel your pain bro. hopefully the tips bellow will help in a major way.
- Know the ‘WHY’
Knowing the reason why your boss doesn’t what he does is the first step to dealing with him. You have to understand his motivations, what propels him, what he likes, what he dislikes, what he cares about, how much importance he places on impressing others, how he measures success and what he thinks about failure. Take him like a 6 unit course in the university, with the idea in mind that if you fail, it will drop your gp and you will get kicked out of the university, but in this case, get kicked out of your office. - Get behind ‘his’ motivations
Now that you’ve identified what makes him thick, try to copy his passion. Support his natural strengths and work around his weaknesses. I know it sounds crazy trying to be nice or help a bad boss to become more successful, but believe me; you have nothing to gain by being on his bad side. The goal is to get him to stop being difficult with you. If he’s still difficult with others, then they also need to read this article. Make yourself indispensable; let all the insults and the bad mojo roll off you. Offer even when you’re not needed. This will set you apart and be the one who is always favored and placed in charge of important tasks. I smell a promotion coming soon. - Speak up
I wouldn’t write this on a normal day as it can lead to more trouble but it is necessary in some cases. Approach him privately and explain how undervalued you feel. There is a friend of mine who had this issue and left his workplace. He later found out that the boss had been testing him for professional alacrity which was important in their line of business. The boss wanted him to speak up, but he cowered in silence till he left. Let your boss know how you feel, but be polite and firm in the way you put it. - Be proactive
For your boss to get to the position he is in right now, he was not picked because he was stupid. When he recognizes the value you have to the organization, he is bound to treat you like an egg. Make yourself useful. Be everywhere. Be proactive and vigorously efficient. This is one way to tie your boss hands as he knows that losing you will destabilize the company. Ingratiate yourself with the customers so that it’s you they want to deal with. Be Indispensable.
Knowing How to deal with difficult people at work in Nigeria is essential for every organization as they do exist. The way you deal with them has a positive of negative influence to you and any organization.
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