How Do You Handle Guilt Trippers at Work?

Guilt-Tripper Rewire Brain Manipulation

Do you consider yourself a pretty good Joe or Jane on the job? One problem “nice folks” face is saying NO! especially to guilt-trippers. Why? Folks with integrity feel they have to please others.

Say, as a good Joe on the job, you serve on committees, prepare the office holiday party and keep shelling out money for good causes. And all the time you’re ANGRY and seething inside because you simply don’t want to be bothered and you don’t have time.

Avoid finding yourself in guilt’s clutches! Richard Carlson offers sound advice in Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. He says, “the very best way to avoid being bothered by them is to make peace, not with the guilt-trippers but which yourself.”

How so? Well, you can’t please everyone and it’s not your job to do so! Once you come to terms with being OK with it if folks are upset with you, you’ve adopted the mindset you need to kick this problem…. even if you see steam exploding from the guilt-tripper’s ears!

Begin by setting boundaries with just about everyone – like a friend who wants you to car pool or a couple who will just die if you do not come to their dinner party. Try it – the more you do it, the easier it gets! And the more you consciously say “no” to folks who lay guilt-trips on you, you’ll be rewiring your brain for the person you’d most like to be!

Caution – stay polite. In using good tone as you say no, you establish boundaries and remain calm and respectable. The guilt-tripper can choose to be upset and angry with you, but his disappointment in you says nothing about the real you.

Guilt-Trippers Manipulate. Realize that guilt trippers – the folks who send you on guilt trips are actually manipulators. They want something from you and they don’t want it to cost them!

Next time someone wants you to come to a party, because you’re fun and, “It’ll be a bore without you,” just say, no and hold firm. Guilt trippers who’ve had you on a leash don’t like letting go!

If you are too easily swayed by guilt, you might enjoy reading information about emotional manipulation and down to earth insights.

In the meantime, the next time a business associate asks me to run an ad in his paper, I can say no and not even flinch! You?