Here is how to respond to an unkind or hurtful statement

In the journey of work and life, you will often come up against people who make an unkind or hurtful statement, sometimes under the pretext of being funny or witty.  When that happens, a common reaction is to respond in kind.  And later, in the privacy of your thoughts, obsess over what the person said.  When you are consumed by someone else’s cruel comments, you have just allowed this person to take up residence in your head!  Instead consider the lesson learned from the hermit crab.

When a hermit crab is caught by a fisherman, it snaps one claw on the fisherman’s finger, and then escapes by dropping that claw from its body.  The crab then scuttles away while the startled fisherman is still trying to figure out what happened.  The crab can always grow a new limb, but the element of surprise is what ensures its immediate survival.

You can take a similar approach in response to a hurtful statement …

In much the same way, try dropping a claw from your body the next time someone says something hurtful or mean to you.  Respond with a non-committal statement such as “I can see why you might think that” or “Thank you for telling me.”  Remember that the individual was expecting you to react negatively to the hurtful statement, and when you give non-committal responses such as these, you are using the element of surprise in your favor.

Think about it. The next time someone makes a remark like “Trying to impress the boss, are you?” respond with “I can see why you might think so” and walk away.  Then watch the puzzled look as s/he tries to figure out what happened!

So what do you think? Worth trying the next time someone makes a hurtful statement? I hope you do, for no other reason than to see the look on the other person’s face. Please add your comments below.