Toxic People: Decontaminate Difficult People At Work: Without Using Weapons Or Duct Tape

Chapter 9. Planning for Toxic Spills

Are you thinking about how hard it will be for you to change? Well, you are right. We are creatures of habit, and change is hard, but not impossible. Because you have continued to read this far, it must mean you are serious about managing Toxic People, decontaminating conflict situations, and resolving dogfights and cat-fights of the human kind.

In this age of uncertainty, we must challenge the fear we feel when faced with our own change. You can't have a plan of attack if you are fearful of retribution, revenge, paybacks, or bad outcomes. Decontaminating Toxic People is easy when you choose to look at current approaches, evaluate whether they are working, choose to improve, and take a risk.

The root of the problem is that you allow fear to keep you stuck in a downward spiral of negativity, preventing you from moving into action.

Bo, the Needy Weenie, was driving you nuts at work. You would see his car in the parking lot and want to turn around and drive home. Taking a different elevator than usual, you'd walk all the way around the office to delay your inevitable encounter with Bo, and then, wham! Just when you thought it was safe, the Needy Wee-nie would show up. Bo would start in with all the problems of the world. You'd feel like your hair was on fire and want to run away screaming.

Start to plan your responses today. Don't delay. Don't just think of using one strategy when you plan. Have a variety of approaches. That way, no matter how the conversation ...