ABSTRACT
If life were easy, all conflicts would be about simple issues, people would treat each other with courtesy, and everyone would have compatible communication styles. Sadly, we occasionally meet and work with people who seem difficult to get along with. This chapter examines the general nature of these difficult people and some common contexts where difficult encounters occur. Although we recognize the danger of labeling someone “difficult,” we are starting from the viewpoint of the recipient of problematic behavior. It is the perception of difficulty that produces feelings of goal interference and hence conflict.
