Coping With Difficult People… in business and in life by Robert M. Bramson, Ph. D.

Dr. Bramson is a management consultant who through observation and investigation has identified seven patterns of behavior that characterize Difficult People. He and his associates have done more than label these frustrating patterns; they have also discovered methods to effectively cope with them. He states, “While each of us may occasionally thwart or annoy or confuse one or the other of our fellow creatures, a Difficult Person’s troublesome behavior is habitual and affects most of the people with whom he comes in contact.”

These patterns are:

• Hostile-Aggressives
• Complainers
• Silent and Unresponsives
• Super-Agreeables
• Negativists
• Know-it-all Experts
• Indecisives

The author emphasizes that this is neither acceptance nor the futile attempt to change the other person. The purpose is “to further your mutual interests.”

I have personally experienced the effectiveness of one of the coping strategies, but I have not had the misfortune of needing to try all of them out. The author gives tools that may help us apply these instructions from Scripture:

Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy;….

The observations of Dr. Bramson can have another benefit for the Christian who desires to change her own behavior. If you recognize your own destructive pattern described in his book, you can take it to God in repentance and ask for his help to create a new pattern of behavior in Christ.

The author has also written Coping With Difficult Bosses.