Wherever you go, you will always deal with difficult people.
Always.
Many of us buy into the myth that at another job, in another organization, things would be so much easier.
The truth is there will be difficult people there, too. But we don’t let ourselves believe that.
We buy into a myth that it can’t be like this at Disney, or Apple, or Pixar.
You don’t want to believe that difficult people is actually the same thing as “people.”
You don’t want to believe there are difficult people everywhere because you want an excuse. You’d love to leave where you are now. So why don’t you? If it’s that bad, then you should get out of there.
Except, you know deep down that you could do something. Except you don’t want to put the time into figuring out the dynamics of how to survive where you are now. You don’t want to lead.
That’s ok. If you don’t want to step up and lead, then you’re stuck. But here is your new rule: you can’t complain.
Complaining means you don’t want to be the one to solve the problem. You can solve your problem by moving to a new job, setting appropriate boundaries, and to level up.
You can solve your problem by setting the expectations for what you can tolerate and what you can’t. You can solve your problem by taking 5 minutes to have a conversation that will give you so the peace of mind you need. You can solve your problem by taking a moment to pause, reflect, and respond.
Leaders don’t react, they respond. Just like your body responds to good medicine (see Henry Cloud’s Boundaries).
Leaders solve problems. The problem you’re in right now can be solved — and it starts with you.
