FamilyLife Blended® con Ron L. Deal

I’ve got one more tip for dealing with difficult people and it may be the biggest secret weapon of all.

If you find yourself in an ongoing tango with a difficult person, start by noticing your part of the dance. Now, before I say more, I have to tell you this takes a great deal of emotional maturity. It’s real easy to focus on how the other person is acting and diagnose their problems, but you always play a role in any stuck situation. When you try to change a stubborn person, a friend, a child, an ex-spouse, you inadvertently invite resistance from them. By pushing your agenda, you invite them to be the very thing that drives you crazy. Caught in a difficult relationship? Start by changing you.