Enjoyed reading your list. I wish folks would realize that what goes around comes around. Our discount mentality has sent millions of jobs to other countries.

Thx Giulietta

To Deni: Regarding “Late Payers” – this one is super easy to eliminate. Get a deposit down (30-50%) and then require the balance due before sending the hi-res image or completed painting. This works very well for us, and our customers are totally fine with it. No need to chase checks ever again!

the “wannabe designers” – these are people who get a great pleasure from directing the artistic vision and are oppressive about it, demanding multiple revisions, oftentimes changing the image completely after you have presented 10 revisions even when you have a deal memo type of written thing. i hate to stereotype but these are usually women who took on marketing as a job because they had an “in” a company, and have no experience and look at it as a big “Designer” shopping spree and like you are their little designer slave.

oh this is also kinda related to your “slippery sliders” above, which i call “scope creep” (creap?) — when someone demands something be changed/revised, or “edited” in their words, but really is a new design. the difference between these is the first does it for some fantasy that they are an art director, the second is usually a way to try to get more designs from you, free.

the 2nd type to add would be the “Late payers.” anyone who has ever freelanced knows this type of client and it is so frustrating to have rent looming over your head and not getting your money. you know they will eventually pay, but not when it matters most. dump these clients!

how about the “Moving Targets” – People that have you work on a project, only to “know what they don’t want” after seeing what they just told you to do in the first place.

So dealing with different people appropriately is important.

I’m sure your article will help many have a better understanding of the majority of people types we can all expect to deal with.

Thanks ~Den

Great post, as usual, and thank you.

Yes, it is indeed true that the workplace= inter-personal issues, conflicts and politics. And gossip. People play games at work, simply put. The workplace is not always a bed of roses.

It is challenging to have to deal with people on a day to day basis.
There are all kinds of people out there.

The ones I am particularly averse to: bullies, loud-mouths, mean-spirited, nasty people, the put-downers, fault-finders, sarcastic people, people who dish out threats (there may be overlapping here).

In the past, I had to put up with one particular individual who always seemed to be in a bad mood. He frequently lost his temper and there was never a smile on his face, always a scowl. And he just kept on complaining and complaining and complaining. And not just with me, but with everybody. People called him “Mr. Unpopular.”

I tried to find out the source of the problem. It turned out the guy had health issues: diabetes, heart-disease, high blood pressure, and a host of other ailments. His life was in a real mess.

On the recommendation of a physician, this gentleman made certain “lifestyle choices”– and now he seems to be doing okay– although I still don’t want to interact with him.

Moral of the story: sometimes, we are too quick to judge others. On the other hand, we also cannot be held responsible if other people misbehave with us, especially when it ain’t our fault even…

In this case, this gentleman took personal responsibility and consulted with a professional. And took charge of his own life. The behavior modification program took a long time, but now the community in which he lives treats him differently because he is in a better, brighter mood. So, try to find out the source of the problem. Reality is not always what it seems to be, sometimes.

Let’s face it, some clients should be fired. It’s the only way they’ll ever learn that their approach to business doesn’t fly with those worth working with in the first place. They continue to abuse, berate, threaten and mistreat those they work with because it’s how they get their way and it works for them. They don’t realize that being an ass only gets you the bare minimum of what’s required by the contract or agreement. After all, who wants to go above & beyond for a jerk?