Toxic People: Decontaminate Difficult People At Work: Without Using Weapons Or Duct Tape

Chapter 17. On a Personal Note

Deanna lived with the threat of weekly migraine headaches. She had married her college sweetheart, Terry, immediately after graduation. However, this union did not provide the kind of life she had dreamed of. His excessive drinking and job-hopping created turmoil in their relationship. Terry's Jekyll and Hyde personality had him jumping from being a Steamroller to being a Know-It-All. His belittling pushed Deanna's confidence to a low ebb. After considerable therapy with Dr. Bob, Deanna learned that indeed she had some choices. She decided to leave Terry, ending the toxic infection she had lived with for 11 years. Miraculously, her migraine headaches disappeared for many years—until she infected herself with another toxic situation.

One Day at a Time!

I, Marsha Petrie Sue, am a recovering Toxic Person and am challenged with managing my own poor behavior and making good choices about those with whom I interact. My mother was very sarcastic and could shift from being a Steamroller to being a Back-stabber. Dad was a Know-It-All and a Zipper Lip, depending on the situation. It is our job to identify the Toxic People and take action, both professionally and personally. Don't blame anyone else—just take control and change it.

Who raised you, and how would you characterize them? You developed their behavior whether you wanted to or not and are challenged with their impact on a regular basis. Think about how you react or respond.

Toxic situations and people don't ...