You can pastor difficult people, but it is well - difficult. Why learn this stuff? How well you learn to deal with difficult people either expands or limits how many people you can influence.
Remember Christ's instruction regarding the wheat and tares. When tares are mishandled it damages wheat. Not knowing the proper way to deal with manipulators guarantees you losing good people who are not the least bit manipulative. However, beneath they surface they are connected with those who are tares. Few people are born knowing how to deal with difficult people. Instead, it is learned behavior. Behavior, you can learn.
Reading Pastoring a Manipulator will transform your approach to dealing with manipulative individuals. From jealousy and betrayal, to deceit and being the puppet master, this book provides insights on how to navigate complex relationships and build trust.
Say goodbye to frustration and resentment over the treachery of manipulators. You will learn how to identify manipulators and what to do to protect others (and yourself) from the harm they can do. It won't ever be easy to deal with such people, but going into situations understanding what you are dealing with and how you will respond produces confidence.
A favorite chapter among those who did some editing and review is the chapter dealing with, "People are Saying." Pastors, if you want to grow a church, this book is a must-read.
