Engaging With Difficult Individuals

One of my favorite columnists on The New York Times is Joe Nocera.  In the article titled "Two Days in September" , he rationalized the reasons for the demise of Occupy Wall Street. The article by Joe Nocera reminded that I get no where by avoiding difficult people.

Here's the excerpt from his article:

But the main reason is that, ultimately, Occupy Wall Street simply would not engage with the larger world. Believing that both politicians and corporations were corrupt, it declined to dirty its hands by talking to anyone in power. The takeover of the park — especially as the police threatened to force the protesters out — became an end in itself rather than the means to something larger. Occupy was an insular movement, whose members spoke mainly to each other.

The behavior of the people in Occupy Wall Street resonates with me as I too partake in the same behavior in handing certain people in my professional life. Perhaps I cannot see the forest for the trees. Before I even go into the discussion, I know that it is futile getting my message across. At times I avoid it altogether or just go along with the discussion knowing that the outcome will the status quo.

I recognize that I can't get my way all the time and I am guilty for not making an effort to turn a difficult situation around because of the difficult individual that I had to work with. Sometimes, I shield myself under the pretext that I have to pick my battles.  Instead, I should start to see things differently. I will observe and horn my skill in the art of engaging in dialogue for positive outcomes. The game changer for me is self-confidence and being nonjudgmental when engaging in conversation with difficult individuals. May be force be with me :)