Quick Reference for Coping with Difficult People

Behavior Name	Typical Actions	Positive Intent	Basic Coping Strategy
Sherman Tanks	Pushy, abrupt, and even hostile. Attack until others move out of the way or accept their view of the world. Aggravated by too much discussion or friendly chat.	Get it done	Hold your ground, but don't fight back. Interrupt the attack by repeating name. Restate the problem. State your own opinions forcefully. Be ready to be friendly.
Snipers	Hide in crowds. Use jokes and sarcasm to sidetrack, humiliate, and embarrass people. May roll eyes to distract you. Can become tanks if exposed. Friendly snipers use humor to get attention from the group.	Get it done Get appreciated	Surface the attack immediately Ask about intent and relevancy. Seek group consensus of criticism. Solve the problem, if any exists. Resolve on-going problems in private.
Exploders	Feel thwarted and threatened so they "act out" through tantrums. May storm out of the room or attack others verbally without explanation. May cry or look silently enraged.	Get appreciated	Give them time to run down. Get their attention. Show that you take them seriously. Reduce intensity. Take a break. Identify and solve underlying problems.
Know-it-all Experts	Extremely confident in their abilities. Very accurate and thorough. Tend to ignore other opinions. Quick to criticize and pick at others. Don't like to be contradicted.	Get it done	Be prepared and know your stuff. Listen and acknowledge respectfully. Present your views indirectly. Turn them into mentors.
Think-they-know-it-alls	Act like experts. Charismatic or enthusiastic talkers. Like to pontificate about subject in front of others, even though they are not really experts. Tend to be generalists in many fields.	Get appreciated	Give them a little attention. Clarify for specifics. State facts or alternative opinions. Allow them to save face. Break the cycle.
Super-agreeables	Try to please everyone by doing what is asked while sometimes feeling put upon. Over-commit so much that they perform poorly. Use humor to reveal issues.	Get along	Make it safe to be honest. Talk personally and honestly. Help them learn to plan realistically. Ensure commitment. Strengthen the relationship.
Indecisives	Avoid making decisions for fear of harming a personal relationship. Hint or beat around the bush to remain honest. Try to postpone decisions until they are not necessary.	Get along	Establish a comfort zone. Surface the issues. Help them problem solve. Reassure, then ensure follow through. Strengthen the relationship.
Unresponsives	Withdraw from others when frustrated. Stop talking although they appear angry. Wash hands of decision rather than try to influence it. Don't like to rush into action without understanding the background and the details of a project.	Get it right	Be prepared to wait. Ask open-ended questions expectantly. Avoid filling quiet pauses with talk. Help break the tension. Guess. Show the future.
Negativists	Feel hopeless to enact change. Destroy morale. React strongly to problem solving or process changes. Sound bitterer and more hopeless than complainers.	Get it right	Avoid getting drawn in. Don't argue. Explore the problem before solutions. Describe the worst case situation. Use them as a resource. Wait for them, but be prepared to act.
Complainers	Whine and speak in generalizations about problems. Focus on problems, not solutions. Believe someone else should fix the problem.	Get it right	Listen for the main points Acknowledge, interrupt and get specific. Don't agree or apologize. State facts. Switch to problem solving. Draw the line. How should this end?

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