CHAPTER 4When Human Motives Turn NegativeKnow Your Own Motives and Those of Others

First, it helps to understand why people do what they do so you can have more compassion for them before you decide to handle the situation directly. Having psychological knowledge, empathy, and well-developed communication skills help you to establish rapport and defuse most situations. When and if you must issue ultimatums to your co-workers about their dysfunctional conduct, these same skills and techniques will help you feel strong and assertive.

You can become an amateur psychologist by observing how other people’s behavior affects you and other people in the work environment and by learning to deal directly with it in tactful yet effective ways. You don’t ...

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