UseAnotherStrategyIf you've used onestrategy and it hasnot helped to solvethe problem, youshould do this.UseAnotherStrategyYou and yourteammate do notagree about how toproceed on a project.You've been calm,you've listened totheir viewpoint. Whatdo you do now?Choose YourBattles andProblem-SolveDecide when it'snecessary to engageand when it's best tolet things go. Findsolutions instead offocusing on theproblem. Worktogether towards aresolution."I"StatementsBegin with "I."Explain how you feel.Explain the behaviorthat caused you tofeel that way andwhat could be donedifferently.UseAnotherStrategyAn angry teammate hasjust come storming up toyou. You've done your bestto stay calm andcomposed. You tried toactively listen to yourteammate's concerns andempathize with them. Thesituation still is notresolved. What do you do?PracticeSelf-CareTaking care ofyourself is essentialwhen dealing withdifficult people.Practice stressreduction, exercise,and eat healthymeals.DocumentInteractionsYou have used severalstrategies already andnow your boss wants ameeting. What shouldyou have done fromthe beginning so youcan present a case toyour boss?Stay CalmandComposedKeep your emotionsin check. Respondingwith anger orfrustration canescalate thesituation.ActivelyListen andEmpathizeListen to what theperson is saying.Put yourself in theirshoes and try tosee things fromtheir point of view.MaintainBoundariesand BeAssertiveSet and enforcepersonal boundariesto protect your ownwell-being. Use "I"Statements to speakwithout blaming.ActivelyListen andEmpathizeYou have a teammate thatis not meeting theirobligations. When youspeak to them, they revealthat their child was recentlydiagnosed with cancer. Youdemonstrate this strategyby giving good eye contactand repeating back whatthey've said.DocumentInteractionsIn some cases, itmay be necessary tokeep a record of yourinteractions with thedifficult person,especially in aworkplace setting.Choose YourBattles andProblem-SolveYou are a manager incharge of two teams withvery different views. Youspeak to both teams tohear their views and thenallow them to speak toeach other and sharepossible solutions. Basedupon their own feedbackand ideas, you make adecisiSeekSupportTalk to friends, familymembers, or colleagues forsupport. An outsider'sperspective can bevaluable. In extreme casesyou may need a therapistor mediator to help yousolve the issue.DifficultPeopleThese are thekinds of peoplethat teach uswho we do NOTwant to become.DifficultPeopleThese are the kindsof people who canruin relationships,decreaseproductivity, andleave you unsatisfiedwith your job.Learnto say,"No!"You do not haveto accept everytask. It isacceptable to dothis instead."I"StatementsYou should usethese to shareyourperspectivewithoutblaming.EscalationofConflictsThis is NOT apotentialoutcome ofeffectivelydealing with adifficult person.Stay CalmandComposedA teammate arriveslate to a meeting and isclearly in a bad mood.They begin yelling atthe whole team. Thiswould likely need to bethe first strategy youwould employ.MaintainBoundariesand BeAssertiveYou have many projectsalready assigned to you.Your boss comes to you,the week before yourvacation, and asks you toadd one more project - thatneeds completed beforeyour vacation. You shouldemploy this strategy.AvoidanceandIgnoringthe IssueThis wouldNOT be a goodstrategy to dealwith a difficultcoworker.Take aDeepBreathThis suggestion canbe used along withany strategy. It's agood way to get moreOxygen to your brainand help you thinkclearly.SeekSupportA teammate belittlesyou every chance theyget. You meet withyour boss. You wantsomeone else to knowwhat has happenedand you want their helpto fix this. This is thestrategy you are using.UseAnotherStrategyIf you've used onestrategy and it hasnot helped to solvethe problem, youshould do this.UseAnotherStrategyYou and yourteammate do notagree about how toproceed on a project.You've been calm,you've listened totheir viewpoint. Whatdo you do now?Choose YourBattles andProblem-SolveDecide when it'snecessary to engageand when it's best tolet things go. Findsolutions instead offocusing on theproblem. Worktogether towards aresolution."I"StatementsBegin with "I."Explain how you feel.Explain the behaviorthat caused you tofeel that way andwhat could be donedifferently.UseAnotherStrategyAn angry teammate hasjust come storming up toyou. You've done your bestto stay calm andcomposed. You tried toactively listen to yourteammate's concerns andempathize with them. Thesituation still is notresolved. What do you do?PracticeSelf-CareTaking care ofyourself is essentialwhen dealing withdifficult people.Practice stressreduction, exercise,and eat healthymeals.DocumentInteractionsYou have used severalstrategies already andnow your boss wants ameeting. What shouldyou have done fromthe beginning so youcan present a case toyour boss?Stay CalmandComposedKeep your emotionsin check. Respondingwith anger orfrustration canescalate thesituation.ActivelyListen andEmpathizeListen to what theperson is saying.Put yourself in theirshoes and try tosee things fromtheir point of view.MaintainBoundariesand BeAssertiveSet and enforcepersonal boundariesto protect your ownwell-being. Use "I"Statements to speakwithout blaming.ActivelyListen andEmpathizeYou have a teammate thatis not meeting theirobligations. When youspeak to them, they revealthat their child was recentlydiagnosed with cancer. Youdemonstrate this strategyby giving good eye contactand repeating back whatthey've said.DocumentInteractionsIn some cases, itmay be necessary tokeep a record of yourinteractions with thedifficult person,especially in aworkplace setting.Choose YourBattles andProblem-SolveYou are a manager incharge of two teams withvery different views. Youspeak to both teams tohear their views and thenallow them to speak toeach other and sharepossible solutions. Basedupon their own feedbackand ideas, you make adecisiSeekSupportTalk to friends, familymembers, or colleagues forsupport. An outsider'sperspective can bevaluable. In extreme casesyou may need a therapistor mediator to help yousolve the issue.DifficultPeopleThese are thekinds of peoplethat teach uswho we do NOTwant to become.DifficultPeopleThese are the kindsof people who canruin relationships,decreaseproductivity, andleave you unsatisfiedwith your job.Learnto say,"No!"You do not haveto accept everytask. It isacceptable to dothis instead."I"StatementsYou should usethese to shareyourperspectivewithoutblaming.EscalationofConflictsThis is NOT apotentialoutcome ofeffectivelydealing with adifficult person.Stay CalmandComposedA teammate arriveslate to a meeting and isclearly in a bad mood.They begin yelling atthe whole team. Thiswould likely need to bethe first strategy youwould employ.MaintainBoundariesand BeAssertiveYou have many projectsalready assigned to you.Your boss comes to you,the week before yourvacation, and asks you toadd one more project - thatneeds completed beforeyour vacation. You shouldemploy this strategy.AvoidanceandIgnoringthe IssueThis wouldNOT be a goodstrategy to dealwith a difficultcoworker.Take aDeepBreathThis suggestion canbe used along withany strategy. It's agood way to get moreOxygen to your brainand help you thinkclearly.SeekSupportA teammate belittlesyou every chance theyget. You meet withyour boss. You wantsomeone else to knowwhat has happenedand you want their helpto fix this. This is thestrategy you are using.

How to Deal with Difficult People - Call List

(Print) Use this randomly generated list as your call list when playing the game. There is no need to say the BINGO column name. Place some kind of mark (like an X, a checkmark, a dot, tally mark, etc) on each cell as you announce it, to keep track. You can also cut out each item, place them in a bag and pull words from the bag.


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  1. If you've used one strategy and it has not helped to solve the problem, you should do this.
    Use Another Strategy
  2. You and your teammate do not agree about how to proceed on a project. You've been calm, you've listened to their viewpoint. What do you do now?
    Use Another Strategy
  3. Decide when it's necessary to engage and when it's best to let things go. Find solutions instead of focusing on the problem. Work together towards a resolution.
    Choose Your Battles and Problem-Solve
  4. Begin with "I." Explain how you feel. Explain the behavior that caused you to feel that way and what could be done differently.
    "I" Statements
  5. An angry teammate has just come storming up to you. You've done your best to stay calm and composed. You tried to actively listen to your teammate's concerns and empathize with them. The situation still is not resolved. What do you do?
    Use Another Strategy
  6. Taking care of yourself is essential when dealing with difficult people. Practice stress reduction, exercise, and eat healthy meals.
    Practice Self-Care
  7. You have used several strategies already and now your boss wants a meeting. What should you have done from the beginning so you can present a case to your boss?
    Document Interactions
  8. Keep your emotions in check. Responding with anger or frustration can escalate the situation.
    Stay Calm and Composed
  9. Listen to what the person is saying. Put yourself in their shoes and try to see things from their point of view.
    Actively Listen and Empathize
  10. Set and enforce personal boundaries to protect your own well-being. Use "I" Statements to speak without blaming.
    Maintain Boundaries and Be Assertive
  11. You have a teammate that is not meeting their obligations. When you speak to them, they reveal that their child was recently diagnosed with cancer. You demonstrate this strategy by giving good eye contact and repeating back what they've said.
    Actively Listen and Empathize
  12. In some cases, it may be necessary to keep a record of your interactions with the difficult person, especially in a workplace setting.
    Document Interactions
  13. You are a manager in charge of two teams with very different views. You speak to both teams to hear their views and then allow them to speak to each other and share possible solutions. Based upon their own feedback and ideas, you make a decisi
    Choose Your Battles and Problem-Solve
  14. Talk to friends, family members, or colleagues for support. An outsider's perspective can be valuable. In extreme cases you may need a therapist or mediator to help you solve the issue.
    Seek Support
  15. These are the kinds of people that teach us who we do NOT want to become.
    Difficult People
  16. These are the kinds of people who can ruin relationships, decrease productivity, and leave you unsatisfied with your job.
    Difficult People
  17. You do not have to accept every task. It is acceptable to do this instead.
    Learn to say, "No!"
  18. You should use these to share your perspective without blaming.
    "I" Statements
  19. This is NOT a potential outcome of effectively dealing with a difficult person.
    Escalation of Conflicts
  20. A teammate arrives late to a meeting and is clearly in a bad mood. They begin yelling at the whole team. This would likely need to be the first strategy you would employ.
    Stay Calm and Composed
  21. You have many projects already assigned to you. Your boss comes to you, the week before your vacation, and asks you to add one more project - that needs completed before your vacation. You should employ this strategy.
    Maintain Boundaries and Be Assertive
  22. This would NOT be a good strategy to deal with a difficult coworker.
    Avoidance and Ignoring the Issue
  23. This suggestion can be used along with any strategy. It's a good way to get more Oxygen to your brain and help you think clearly.
    Take a Deep Breath
  24. A teammate belittles you every chance they get. You meet with your boss. You want someone else to know what has happened and you want their help to fix this. This is the strategy you are using.
    Seek Support