How to talk to adversaries

There is a difference between an adversary and a difficult person. An adversary acts directly or indirectly to block your success, whereas a difficult person is someone who has traits or characteristics that make it difficult, if not impossible, to communicate with them. Knowing the difference, even if behaviors overlap, is very important to understand their underlying motivation. All behavior has a purpose. It is crucial to make an effort to objectively identify what a person’s purpose is. Remember – the goal of an adversary is to block your path and impede your success.

The motivation of an adversary falls into three areas: focused, emotional, or revengeful. When clashing with a team member or colleague whose interests may not be aligned…