Every once in a while, you’ll attract a strange individual who is not a fit with you or the work you do.  Whether you’re in an office and it’s necessary to interact with them temporarily, or they are calling you about your business, you’ll have to use smooth communication skills to address what feels like their creepy style.

I don’t mean they have to look like Lon Chaney in Phantom costume and be accompanied by chilling skeletons, furry bats and wailing ghosts…but something about them sends a shiver up your spine.

You’re probably very safe, but don’t take any chances.  Meet with them only in public or talk with them in brief, professional conversations by phone, staying on point and revealing no personal data.  If you have to converse with them several times, document your conversations.  It could be that you’re getting intuitive messages on this individual for a reason other than having a personal judgment about their behavior or looks.

If you feel a strong discomfort with them, trust this.  Bring someone else in on your conversation or ask them to participate in your meetings with this person, introducing them as a business associate who is helping you on the project.  If they are a prospective client, unless you feel their business is necessary, refer them elsewhere, ideally to an association instead of another individual.  One client won’t make or break your business.

If they are behaving inappropriately with you, such as with sexual innuendos, be clear that you don’t tolerate this kind of behavior and state it in a brief and professional manner, as if you’re not clear that’s where he/she was coming from, but just in case, here’s your policy.  You don’t want to jump to conclusions, but you do want to set some clear ground rules if you feel things are heading in the wrong direction.

Halloween may bring out the spooks at times, but they’re meant to be all in fun.  If you encounter the real deal, keep your head up and your good sense about you and you’ll handle yourself well.

Tags: creepy work encounters, difficult people, effective communication, workplace communication

This entry was posted on Monday, October 31st, 2011 at 8:52 am and is filed under Career Tips, Positive Beliefs and Behaviors, Women Entrepreneurs, Women Managers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.