If there’s one thing I’ve needed a lesson on in the past it’s tricks for handling rude people, because I’ve had periods of time when I’ve admittedly had the shortest fuse ever. All it took was someone to look at me the wrong way and I’d be set off. Those days are far in the past now though — thankfully for both me and those around me — but it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve had to go over, and over, and over different tactics for managing the rude people I encounter. Now, I’m much happier, kinder, and oddly enough, more productive.
All of us encounter our fair share of difficult people in our lives. Some creep up on us while we’re ordering our daily coffee at Starbucks, others sit next to us every day at work, and yet others might even be those we’re in intimate relationships with. No matter who it is, it’s so important that we take time and consider ways to properly handle our reactions to them. It’s really easy to give these people an attitude in return, particularly when it’s someone we don’t think we’ll ever see again. However, by stopping, thinking, and responding correctly, you can walk away from the interaction feeling much more pleasant. Here are eight tricks I’ve learned and practiced over time to help deal with any of the rude people I encounter.
1. Take A Deep Breath, And Think Before You Speak
Back in my mean days, when someone would be rude to me, my very first thought would be to give it right back to them. It was a terrible mindset, I know. It took me a while to realize this, but taking a moment before you respond to someone who has just been rude to you can make all the difference. Specifically, it could mean the difference between a huge (and likely unnecessary) fight and a fairly civil interaction. What I like to do is physically pause, take a giant deep breath, and clear my mind before moving forward at all.
2. Keep Calm
According to RobertHalf.com — a staffing service company’s blog that offered advice on handling workplace rudeness — you can effectively discourage rudeness by remaining calm and appearing in control on your response(s). That deep breath you already took? It relaxed you a bit, right? Keep that low-key momentum going throughout the interaction.
