No 34. Dealing with a difficult person with the word ‘feel’

Unfortunately from time to time in the world of teaching you can encounter another member of staff that seems to be making your life difficult. This may include

• talking to other people about you behind your back.
• deliberately putting your ideas down during a meeting.
• criticising you by e-mail and copying other people, often senior people into it. The cc and bcc are rarely used carefully.
• greying matters by telling half truths.
• talking to the students in their classes about you. A false and wholly inappropriate way of them gaining respect.

If you think this is happening to you then the worse thing you can do is to do nothing. You must confront the person directly and take the following steps

1. Ask the person that you would like to talk to them privately – don’t do this by e-mail, keep it all face to face.
2. Tell the person how…