From the course: Working with Difficult People

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Responding to negative behavior

Responding to negative behavior

From the course: Working with Difficult People

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Responding to negative behavior

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Remember the Debbie Downer character on Saturday Night Live, the one who only focused on the negative side of everything? Womp, womp. Negativity breeds more negativity. Dealing with pessimistic coworkers who play the victim, oppose ideas, complain without suggesting solutions, or shirk responsibility can be exhausting. I would put these behaviors in the Level 3 category. Behavior that's truly frustrating. I worked with someone years ago who responded to every idea with, "No, no, no, that's not right." Sometimes he'd say, "No, no, no, that's not right," and then suggest almost the exact same idea back to me. When faced with chronic naysaying or blame-shifting, first things first, avoid getting sucked into the drama. Don't validate their counterproductive outlook. Instead, focus the conversation on your experience and needs. You could say, "When you shoot down my suggestions without offering alternatives, I feel discouraged. I'd appreciate us brainstorming solutions together." Beyond…

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