This quiz will help you understand how you look at the issue of difficult people in the workplace. Choose the answers below that best describe you.
WHEN I ENCOUNTER A DIFFICULT PERSON AT WORK, I:
(a) compare myself to that person to see who is right.
(b) walk the other way as fast as possible.
(c) pause for a moment to reflect on why I find the person difficult.
(a) determine which of us has more authority within the company to use against the other.
(b) avoid all contact with that person.
(c) purposely have more casual contact with that person to see if I'm getting the whole picture.
(a) determine which of us has more authority among the staff to use against each other.
(b) plot how I can defend myself against any and all use of authority against me.
(c) study how institutional and popular authority issues can help build a bridge between us.
(a) keep score of his crimes against me.
(b) try to pretend there is no friction.
(c) think about what's bothering me and try to understand why I find this person's actions so irritating.
(a) find out which subordinates are on my side.
(b) assume all my subordinates are against me
(c) assume all my subordinates are friendly and reasonable until they prove otherwise.
(a) find out which co-workers are on my side.
(b) assume all my co-workers are against me.
(c) assume all my co-workers are friendly and reasonable but might have their own issues to deal with.
(a) find out which superiors are on my side.
(b) assume all my superiors are against me.
(c) consider that whatever is causing the person difficulty might have nothing to do with me.
(a) quickly strategize how to attack first.
(b) quickly dig a bomb shelter and crawl into it.
(c) strategize how to remove all misunderstandings.
(a) get in his face as a warning not to mess with me.
(b) run and tell my boss that I'm being harassed.
(c) treat the other person with respect regardless of how he treats me.
(a) find some people who seem to be neutral about the difficult person and go to lunch to talk about the situation.
(b) cut off all contact with that person and use all of my influence to cut off her resources.
(c) invite the difficult person to lunch to find common ground.
SCORING:
TWO (2) POINTS - for every A answer
ONE (1) POINT - for every B answer
ZERO / NO POINT - for every C answer
ANALYSIS:
15 - 20
You're agressive and too quick to play the blame game. You may lack the skills and temperament to deal with difficult people in a collaborative way. Use agressiveness to solve the problem, not to attack the person, or you risk becoming difficult.
8 - 14
You deal with conflict by avoiding it. You assume the worst, build defensive walls, and avoid confrontation. You tend to deny that you could be part of the problem.
0 - 7
You seek solutions and see people for their potential rather than regarding them as problems. You prefer collaboration to conflict. You make an effort to improve your communication and cooperation with others at every level of the organization.