Let’s be honest; not all of the people you meet will be friendly around you. For one reason or another, there will be times when you disagree with somebody and vice versa. While that is an accepted fact, some people may take it to the next level in a negative kind of way.
You have a choice on how you’d respond to it, however. Will you stoop at the same level and look for a fight, or turn the other cheek and kill them with kindness? If you want a more peaceful kind of life, then we would have to say that the latter is the better option.
But to further help you, here are a few pieces of advice on how to properly respond to such behavior in any situation, workplace or not.
Aggravation or Harassment
Some aggressive behaviors aren’t physical, but they sure can give you the creeps. Harassment can come in many forms: from the subtle passive-aggressive moves to the outright sleazy types of comments. This is mostly seen in the workplace setting where one coworker may act too familiar with you that they’ll go out of their way to make an uncomfortable comment.
That unsettling feeling can disrupt your day and, if they do it on a regular basis, it can even be a sign of something more sinister. To prevent this, do file a report to your employer’s human resources department or your manager.
That way, the company itself can reprimand the offender and call on arbitration and mediation services or outright dismiss them if it still continues.
Silent Treatment
We live in a world where it’s so much easier for people to express their thoughts on everything, from politics to religion or even sensitive issues such as mental health. And since we have varying points of views, it’s easy to tick some people off or “trigger” them or yourself.
This scenario always happens on social media where people battle on comment sections or posts. While it’s always tempting to respond and give them your two cents, remember to think about what you type in before pressing Enter.
You have the power to choose your battles and sometimes, the best way to respond is to not say anything. It’ll save you a lot of trouble and additional useless comments from people whose purpose is to just ruin other people’s days.
Assault and Physical Attacks
Some people who can’t help themselves sometimes resort to getting physical. This kind of offensive behavior is prevalent at home, school, the workplace, or, in some cases, sporting events. If you ever find yourself on the receiving end, you should make sure to avoid provoking the aggressor and you should always stay on defense.
Fighting resolves nothing. Yes, it’s normal to fear for your life but the best solution for this is to stay away. More often than not, they’ll hurt themselves more than they can hurt you. If there are other people around, do call for help. It helps to be specific as to who you’re asking for assistance, as they’ll be more likely to respond then.
Protecting yourself also means that you have to let the offender know that what they’re doing isn’t right. For the corporate world, in particular, matters such as these shouldn’t be treated lightly. Let your employees learn about it by conducting seminars that show the effects of such behaviors.
Always take care of yourself for you and your family. Don’t let a moment of anger or irritability get the best of you.
