Are You a Threat?

Conflict at work-and even at home-is often the result of the learned behavior behavior of one party in dealing with the unpredictable nature of another party. If you are the person who can go from happy and laid back, to grumpy and curt all in the same meeting, you may benefit from an emotions management course. Even if you believe that other people at work are usually the problem with regard to how they treat you, it may be a matter of projection. If another person has had a negative encounter with you they may be "on guard" when you are present. Perhaps the way you reacted to one situation was a "trigger" for them and now they view you as unpredictabe. It is not necessary to be a doormat however, it is necessary to be sensitive enough to how others treat you to calmly and politely discuss their concerns about you and then rather than defending yourself, apologize and try to understand their view. Then, the door will be open for both dialogue with them and if possible or necessary, for you to consider how you can become more predictable, and by extension, more respected.