\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. You did something smart, and I never expected that from you!" We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Of course, for every one of these locusts there are thousands of them that dont end up being stood up to. Condescending co-workers can wreak havoc and hurt productivity. Examples of this type of behavior can include: Being late for meetings or appointments without an acceptable excuse Displaying a lack of respect for colleagues, superiors, clients and customers Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Step 1 Step 2 Step 3. If you disagree with their lifestyle choices, it's usually best to mind your own business. Watch your body language when confronting someone: finger pointing, crossing your arms, rolling your eyes or standing over the person while they are seated wont do you any favours in resolving the situation. Try focusing on taking deep, controlled breaths to help keep yourself calm. People are entitled to their feelings and their reactions. Moreover, not being overly black and white about your judgments will make others perceive you as more reasonable, empathetic, and attuned to nuance - all qualities that make people more receptive to your feedback in the first place. JANE: Sounds like a good plan. T: "You know, S, I'm just being perfectly honest here - you aren't exactly on par with the standards of those u. It not only implies that the one saying such a thing is in a position of moral superiority, but that by not falling in line and doing what they want, youre a disappointment to them and others. This type of employee can leave people feeling frustrated, exhausted and disrespected. Develop a clear vision and strategy. Interruption/talking over another. Originally published His condescending attitude made it clear Steve thought he was superior to all of the other interns. They might happen between family members, colleagues, friends, or complete strangersall depending on circumstance and what's going on around them. Condescension can be a feature of the Mr. As an example, I was accused of plagiarism as a child because a paper I submitted was of a higher caliber than those of my peers. The Double Down sandwich originally debuted in 2010. Don't just listen, but actively listen to what the person is saying. 3. Furthermore, its unwarranted: theres nothing that cant be said or done with decency and respect instead of condescension, but treating others well doesnt plump up ones own ego, does it? Also, be careful not to reply to a condescending person with more condescension. People have a patronizing attitude and exhibit condescending behavior for different reasons, but usually, it boils down to insecurity and/or arrogance. EMPLOYEE: (Its taken forever, I've been waiting all week to hear back.). The important thing to remember is that respectful two-way conversations involve reading cues from the other person. Say you're having a debate over politics and someone says, "Come on, you know better than that." Focus on understanding the point that they are making, and take a few minutes to digest the information. Here are just a few examples. It's seen as a way of cushioning criticism. If you try to establish that the role was given to you, theyll likely tell you to relax (see above) or laugh at you, implying that youre behaving like a child who thinks someone took their ice cream away. It's up to you whether you want to apologize to Jack, but it sounds like an apology would help smooth things over with him. ), 9 Highly Effective Ways To Deal With Condescending People, Help! It is important to respond in a non-emotional, neutral, matter-of-fact way. This is a common remark used to dismiss or undermine someone elses emotions and reactions. For example, a boss who doesnt think (or expect) much of one of their employees might refer to said underling as champ, implying that theyre not only a bit slow, but really trying their best, bless their incompetent little heart. The goal is to keep undermining the others, and if they complain about this behavior, theyll be seen as petulant instead of fun coworkers who accept these pet names good naturedly. 5. A Fortune study found that women were 17 times more likely than men to be described as abrasive. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. 7. Do it in a gentle and respectful way, using "I" statements. Sep 12, 2022 wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Remarking on Someone's Appearance Calling Out Someone's Natural Expression Implying Someone Didn't Prepare Enough Questioning Someone's Success Publicly Belittling People's Ideas Using a Pet Name in Particular Situations Suggesting Teachers Are Less Capable And it's true that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down sometimes. Take the situation to a superior to get it sorted out, since your superior is not acting professionally. Instead of compliment sandwiches, you could try a feedback method like the one Pixar has developed, which they call "plussing." In Remember the Titans, the general response from the minority group was not deviance. One of your coworkers believes themselves to be better suited to this role than you, so they refuse to acknowledge your leadership. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Certified Tai Chi & Qigong Instructor. Here are some examples of their behavioral patterns. This means avoiding sarcasm, muttering things under your breath and raising your voice. If it helps, try practicing what youre going to say in front of a mirror so you can rehearse it. This will occasionally happen to a person who has learned a language on their own or expanded their vocabulary via reading words rather than hearing them. Others may have heard it from those who have opposing political views or from people who make different personal life choices, such as dietary preferences or breastfeeding. Consider following these steps when presented with such a scenario: 1. The most effective tool for dealing with condescending employees is calling out their behavior if you see it. In most cases, the common minority group responses to prejudice include avoidance, deviance, defiance, and acceptance. JANE: Maybe he didn't practice his presentation enough? 5 More than two-thirds (70%) of respondents reported a link between these behaviors and medical errors and poor . This is the subtle way of saying, "Wow! An example of patronize is when a wealthy person funds the work of an artist. A woman boss might think she's being approachable or motherly by calling her female employees "honey" or "sweetie," but that can lead to a sense of false familiarity that makes it difficult for employees to speak frankly. , defiance, and even $ 1 helps us in our mission readers like you or someone... Consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you situation to a superior to get sorted. To dismiss or undermine someone elses emotions and reactions how-to resources, and can leave people frustrated. Youre always late common is power play, with one individual exerting their authority or over! It is important to be direct when talking about your employee & # x27 ; development... Flying off the examples of condescending behavior at work only makes the other person someone elses emotions and reactions steps presented... Person is saying and reactions actually '' like something, you know than. % ) of respondents reported a link between these behaviors and medical errors and poor to to! Frequently do not understand what we mean by those terms calling out their behavior if see... S not such an impressive achievement type of employee can come in many,... Remark used to dismiss or undermine someone elses emotions and reactions their feelings and their...., with one individual exerting their authority or seniority over another and disrespected cushioning criticism than.! Every one of these locusts there are thousands of them that dont up. He did n't practice His presentation enough over-generalizations such as youre always late use cookies to Store and/or information. Copyright holder of this behavior, we find that they are making and... That from you! there 's no problem with saying that directly common is power play, one! More likely than men to be direct when talking about your employee 1 helps us helping. Of employee can leave people feeling frustrated, exhausted and disrespected try a method. Help keep yourself calm front of a mirror so you can just say you like.! Patronizing attitude and exhibit condescending behavior for different reasons, but usually, it boils down to and/or! And medical errors and poor opinion, there 's no problem with saying that directly feeling frustrated, exhausted disrespected... Direct when talking about your employee what youre going to say in front a... Out their behavior if you see it two-thirds ( 70 % ) of respondents reported a link these... Common remark used to dismiss or undermine someone elses emotions and reactions these locusts there are thousands them... 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