Muriel Solomon - Working with Difficult People, Second Revised Edition: Handling the Ten Types of Problem People Without Losing Your Mind

I am Amy Cooper Hakim, granddaughter of the late Muriel Solomon. I remember helping Mimi (as we affectionately called her) with original edits to this text. Mimi would share scenarios and ask my opinion on the relevance of topics. I recall sitting side by side as we checked and rechecked the index.

Mimi played such an integral role in my life. She taught me many important life lessons and even introduced me to the field of industrial-organizational psychology. On a personal level, Mimi encouraged me to think about my future actions before reacting. She taught me to use patience, logic, and tact when responding to difficult people. And she reminded me that there are always multiple ways to view the same situation.

The most important advice that Mimi gave me was to realize the worth of various people in various places in our lives. You can have different friends for different purposes, she would tell me. Some might be friends you confide in, while others might be friends in a book club. Through Mimis gentle yet straightforward guidance, I learned to appreciate people for who they are. Instead of focusing on what is wrong with a person or relationship, recognize what is right. And focus energy on the many positives instead of harping on the negatives.

Working with Difficult People expands these exact principles into the work environment. When we take emotion out of difficult workplace situations, we effectively evaluate what we need to do in order to get what we want and need from a particular relationship.

It was such a unique privilege to revise this book to better incorporate modern work-related conflict situations and solutions. The workplace has changed tremendously since Muriel originally wrote Working with Difficult People. From cyberbullies to smartphones to multigenerational teams, the global marketplace is drastically different than it was twenty-five years ago. Still, much of the ageless wisdom presented in this text is applicable and needed in todays workplace.

In this revised edition, Working with Difficult People is still designed as an instant reference tool. Theres a quick sketch of each particular problem boss, peer, or worker in the table of contents, with additional help from the index. You can still look up a workable strategy for your desired result as easily as you look up the correct spelling of a word.

Parts 1 through 10 deal with difficult people of ten basic types. Each type is discussed in three separate chapters, because you have different goals when dealing with people you work for, people you work with, and people who work for you. You have to tailor your tactics to the outcome you want. Within each chapter, youll find the most frequent culprits.

No matter how bright you are, being angry, hurt, or disappointed blocks your good judgment. The purpose of this book is to suggest logical action instead of emotional reaction. In each chapter, exact phrases are provided that you can say to carry out the proven strategy and suggested tactics.

While the focus of this book is on communicating at work, remember that people dont shed their vexing ways when they leave the office. You can also use the book when the description fits an obnoxious neighbor or phony friend or manipulative relative. Working with Difficult People offers a practical way to help you turn a bad situation to your advantage.

Amy Cooper Hakim and Muriel Solomon