Blessed Monday all!

Today we continue in the Kindness chapter of Doug Dickerson’s book, Leaders without Borders.
This excerpt looks at keeping your kindness even when dealing with difficult people.

Dealing with difficult people is always a challenge for even the most seasoned leader.
Not only will difficult people be with us, but how we respond to them is a universal emotion.
Yet the basics of how you treat difficult people sets you apart as a leader.

Here are a few suggestions when it comes to dealing with difficult people.

Treat the person the way you want to be treated.
You may not change the behavior pattern of that difficult person you are dealing with, but
when you model courteous, professional behavior, then hopefully somewhere down the line they will get a clue.
Never should rude, unprofessional behavior be tolerated or condoned.
It’s not your responsibility to change them.
Just treat them they way you want to be treated.

Take the high road.
Lowering yourself to the level of that difficult person is never the answer.
Don’t allow yourself to be drawn in to another’s bad behavior by behaving badly yourself.
When difficult people surround you, take the high road, and perhaps others will follow you.
But if not, then heed this next piece of advice.

Protect the morale and productivity of your organization.
As a leader, it’s your duty to protect your team’s integrity and morale.
Allowing a difficult person to continue in his or her job may ultimately cause more harm than good.
As you act with compassion, act with conviction, and act swiftly, your experiences with difficult people can be an act of kindness that promotes and elevates all involved.

Ultimately, kindness as a leadership trait is an expression of the heart.
While anyone can be kind, the truly great leaders are genuinely kind toward others, never forgetting where one has come from or where one is going.

~Evolution of Self
#kindness #leadership #difficultpeople #team #mondaymotivation