Leadership Tips: Dealing With Difficult People

When asked what he considered the most valuable skill in employees, John D. Rockefeller once replied, "The ability to get along with people!"

One of the most important skills needed to succeed in ministry and also life in general, is knowing how to handle troublemakers. If you learn how to deal with difficult people early on, then you'll be able to pour more energy into ministry rather than needless conflicts.

Troublemakers come in all shapes:

* THE SHERMAN TANK - will run over you if you let him.
* THE MEGAPHONE - will talk your ear off.
* THE BUBBLE BUSTER - deflates everyone's enthusiasm.
* THE VOLCANO - has a temper like Mt. St. Helens.
* THE CRY BABY - is a chronic complainer.
* THE NIT PICKER - is the unpleasable perfectionist.
* THE SPACE CADET - is on a different wavelength.

Leadership Development Skills

Looking for the leadership skills needed to succeed in ministry? Check out these leadership messages first delivered by Rick Warren to the leadership at Saddleback Church. Learn about spiritual warfare, earning the right to lead, time management and more.
What should you do with these types?

Jesus had to deal with a lot of difficult people. Here are FOUR methods he modeled through his life:

1. Realize you can't please everybody (John 5:30). Even God can't do that! One wants rain while the other demands sunshine.

2. Refuse to play their game (Matt. 22:18). Learn to say no to unrealistic expectations. Confront them by "telling the truth in love."

3. Never retaliate (Matt. 5:38-39). It only lowers you to their level.

4. Pray for them (Matt. 5:44). It will help both of you. Let God handle them.

Make this Bible verse your goal this week, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Rom. 12:18 NIV)

One thing that many times frustrate us is actually caused by our own pride. Many times, we want to "save our face" as Pastor John Ollis mentioned many times to me. A lot of people, especially those who have Asian background, do really care about what people would think about them. Therefore, they would be over anxious whether they would please everyone they meet or not. I always tempted to please everyone, and when someone doesn't respond well (at least according what I want), I would be uncomfortable. But i learned that i can't please everyone, therefore i stopped living that way. I want to care about what God would think about me, and what he really want me to do, and be consistent about it. In our lives and especially our ministry we will always encounter one of the types of difficult people describes by Ps Rick Warren. What's important is not how much trouble they make, or how uncomfortable your lives become, but how we respond to them that's what matters.

So guys, do you have someone in mind, let's start to apply those principles, and learn to love them and pray for them. We should never stop learning.