151 Quick Ideas to Deal With Difficult People

107Ask for Backup

Kelly, a young newcomer to her office, felt uncomfortable with overtures from a much older male coworker. He frequently invited her to lunch in the cafeteria and offered to give her rides home. He would sometimes pull up a chair near her cubicle to talk. Unsure of how to voice her discomfort to him, she confided in an older female coworker who sat nearby. That woman talked to the man and told him to back off. He protested but eventually left the woman alone.

Sometimes speaking up against inappropriate behavior is unbearably difficult. If you’re new on the job, young, or are simply determined to make a good first impression, you’re less inclined to stand up to a bully, backstabber, or harasser. But your more experienced coworkers ...