My way or the highway

In life you will come across few people who will have a “my way or the highway attitude”, stubborn to the bone. How do you deal with such people? I would rather ask; do you really need to deal with such people?

Frankly you just don't have to deal with such people. Talking sense to such people would be like banging the head against the wall. My way with dealing with such people is not the highway. You should hear them but not listen as they don't really deserve any extra attention. My way or the highway attitude is actually their effort to portray that they are larger than life. Catering to them or giving them extra attention is actually falling into their trap. Treat them as you would treat any other person even if there is a risk of the overall atmosphere getting spoilt. Tantrums they will throw and the thing you need to do is to not pay any significance to such tantrums. Their purpose gets served if we acknowledge their acts that are driven towards seeking attention.

My experience has always been that such people who create miserable situations for others do at some point realize their mistake. Life makes them realize that such attitude won’t take them far. Many of them take to such high handed attitude when they achieve success too early in life. Some get this attitude as they are pampered by their parents to a very great extent. All their wants get fulfilled due to which they cannot take no for an answer. They are so used to listening to yes for everything they ask for, that when they hear no, it irritates and frustrates them very much.

My advice to my friends would always be to not keep a confrontational or aggressive attitude towards such people. I am not saying that you take any nonsense of theirs lying down. I am only saying that rather than being aggressive and being like one of them you can instead by assertive and yet calm.