Endless possibilities

One of the most difficult people with whom to work is a person who exercises partially biased favouritism.

Now there's some redundant thought!

Another difficult person within the working environment is the one who simply refuses to listen. Oh, they hear you alright! They just don't listen.

Not listening to your peers or colleagues is a serious faux pas. Especially those in a senior position need good listening skills. Those who don't have these skills should learn the art of listening as quickly as possible. They should learn to stand still, make eye contact, show confidence, and meet their peers, colleagues, employees, whoever halfway. There are so many barriers that affect communication. One, in particular, is when personalities are incompatible.

At some point in life, you are bound to find yourself in a situation where you have to deal with difficult people, people with whom you just don't get along. Difficulties arise simply because you are incompatible, but that shouldn't hinder you. Don't allow impossible people to frustrate you. Stand your ground and be confident. You may feel you are the only person who is not getting along with that particular person, but if you don't see eye to eye, it's not your fault. Oil and water simply don't mix. It doesn't matter how the person interacts with others, if you're not getting along with that person, you're not to blame.

An important goal is to protect your self-esteem. If you find yourself in a situation where someone is constantly trying to portray you as inadequate or in the wrong, take active steps to maintain a positive self-image. People are opinionated, but that's exactly it: mere opinions. You don't have to defend yourself against them.

In all relationships, be the manager. Manage the situation. Don't allow anger or frustration to create opportunities that will make you say or do something irresponsible or regrettable.  As the manager, you have to prevent damage to yourself rather than do damage control. One of the best resources is silence. With that comes listening. Those who are silent learn to observe. They are the ones who listen.

Working with impossible people and impossible situations requires wisdom. Seeing that opposites attract, remember to be a possible person during impossible times. Have an attitude open to endless possibilities!

Leadership skills can be maintained by anyone, even those who are not leaders. Self-improvement is a step forward in the right direction. Just imagine what the world would be like once filled with corrected attitudes.

It matters who you are, but it also matters who other people are. Everyone counts!