Control freaks are very dominating by nature and insist on doing things and even making you do things in their own way, which can be very frustrating. Here are some strategies that will help you deal with a control freak.
Understanding their behavior
What you need to understand is that control freaks are people who are afraid of failure. The thought of failing at the task at hand makes them take too much control in their own hands and make other dance to their tune. They donât trust others to do a better job than themselves and so they end up controlling people and things around them. This is a personality disorder which has roots in the childhood. Children with control freak parents tend to become control freaks themselves in their adulthood. This condition can also arise because of a sense of insecurity or an inferiority or superiority complex, which is basically a psychological issue and can be solved by understanding the main reason of such behavior.
Be calm and patient
Getting angry at the control freak will never solve the issue. You need to be calm and patient and try to reason with the controlling person. Talk to them and make them understand how their controlling behavior makes you feel. Keep a comfortable distance between the two of you and if you feel you are no longer able to control your anger or frustration, simply walk away from the person. Remember, that if you show an outburst, then there is no difference between the two of you. Also, with both of you arguing with each other, you will never reach a peaceful conclusion. If you share a personal relationship with the control freak and the controlling is getting too much for you, end the relationship. That is the best option for both of you. Keep yourself busy and ignore the person as best as you can.
Stand your ground
Control freaks have the tendency to make others feel inferior in comparison to them. They also disable others to take decisions for themselves which makes the controlled feel less confident and low on self esteem. Donât let this happen to you. Always maintain your stance and donât let the controlling affect you. Although it is advisable to sit and listen quietly to the control freak or even ignore him, sometimes it is best to stand up for yourself and put an end to the controlling behavior. Be strong and positive and show them that they cannot exert any more control over you. Be firm on your point of view and refuse to listen to whatever they want you to do. For example, if you are out buying shoes, and the control freak frowns upon your choice, donât pay any attention. Maintain your stance like a broken record till the control freak has no option but to let you have it your own way.
Use humor
Laughter is the best medicine and it is indeed very helpful in dealing with control freaks as well. Control freaks are insecure, cannot laugh at themselves, and in general lack a sense of humor. You can induce humor in your dealings with the control freak and make the situation less uncomfortable for the both of you. For example, if the person has a tendency to order you around, next time when he orders you to do something, take a deep bow in front of him and say something like âYour wish is my commandâ. More often than not you will find yourself giggling as you say this and over a period of time will be immune from the controlling behavior. However, make sure that using such humor does not aggravate the control freak more than before.
Walk away
Always keep the option of walking away from the situation or the person open. Realize that your life is way too important to remain stuck up with such a controlling person. If you are experiencing such behavior at your workplace, start thinking about changing your job. If it is one of your friends who is showing such behavior, stop talking to them; you will be better off without such control freak friends in your life. If it is your spouse or your partner, and the controlling behavior gets to the point of becoming abusive, break off the relationship before it is too late. Choose to forgive them and look for happiness elsewhere.
