Working With Difficult People Is Inevitable

When I was working as a manager with Walt Disney World, I once entered the office of my supervisor, Diane, with a dramatic sigh and took a seat, looking defeated. She leaned back and asked, "What happened this time?" I immediately started complaining about one of my co-workers, Danielle, who had avoided having a difficult conversation with a cast member (Disney speak for employee)—again. That was completely unacceptable. Didn't Danielle understand that her willful avoidance and incompetence made my job a lot harder than necessary?