151 Quick Ideas to Deal With Difficult People

135Admit When You’re Wrong

Admitting to a mistake is probably the last thing you want to do in front of an office foe, but if you accuse someone of spreading a vicious rumor and the accusation later turns out to be false, you owe that person an apology. You may be tempted to resist the notion because you believe your colleague is incapable of the same consideration toward you. If you play by your nemesis’s rulebook, you become like your nemesis.

You could pretend the incident never happened but that will only worsen your already strained relationship. What’s more your refusal to right your wrong will allow your nemesis to play the role of the aggrieved to the office. That’s the last thing you want. “Put a rogue in the limelight and he will act ...