Think about the people you regularly encounter throughout your professional life. There’s probably a range, with some who have gone out their way to help you, and others who may have helped a bit when it wasn’t too much trouble. Then there may have been a few who seemed to actively be working to hold you back.
If you’ve encountered someone in that last group, it’s important to respond to their actions in a way that helps you get the best out of yourself and others instead of reacting to their negativity. Here are five strategies these people use, with tactics to overcome them.
- They make you doubt yourself.
Don’t allow someone else’s doubts about you to turn into your own. If you find yourself doubting yourself because of something someone said, remember how far you have come. Whatever you believe about yourself is what you will manifest in your actions.
- They keep reminding you of your faults.
If others find fault in you, you can choose whether or not you accept that criticism. If it’s valid, you can let it help motivate you to learn more, know more and be more. If not, you can ignore it.
- They are constantly criticising your ideas.
Some people almost can’t help responding to any new idea with negativity. However, even unworkable ideas often have elements that lead to something that does work. Find others who can help you explore new ideas in a spirit of discovery and invention.
- They discount your strengths.
The best way to combat someone who tries to undermine your strengths is simply to know yourself. When you have a clear sense of your own strengths and weaknesses, you’re well situated to ignore the uninformed opinions of others.
- They want you to think you have no options.
Negative people sometimes enjoy backing others into an imaginary corner, maybe to make up for their own feelings of being trapped. However, the truth is that life is full of alternatives and choices. Even if you don’t have a choice about doing something, you always have a choice about how you do it and what you learn from it.
