Article: Your conflict with an intolerable person likely arises from a difference of opinion or intolerance help you avoid situations where you're likely to encounter the person's offending behaviors. Acknowledge that the other person clashes with you. This can help you move on from any situation in which you may encounter the person and not get irritated when you do see her. No matter how insufferable the person is, always remain polite and professional. Not only can disengaging keep a bad situation from escalating but will also cast you in a much more positive light. Always be polite to others, even if they aren't to you. The truism "you win more bees with honey than vinegar" is something you can apply to any aspect of your life and relationships with other people. Leaving a bad impression on colleagues or friends because you lost your cool can have lasting consequences for you. Remember to extend civility because the person may be going through something about which you have no idea. This doesn't legitimate bad behavior on their part, but it also doesn't mean you have to rise to their aggression. You can't control all situations or people, but you can choose how you'll respond to them. Meeting the person with positivity will keep your attitude positive and may also result in a positive resolution to anything. For example, if someone sends you a nasty email, don't react to it immediately. Draft a response and wait 24 hours to send it. Revisit the email the next day and you will likely tone down your response, which can keep a situation from escalating. If something bad happens, such as losing your job, thank your employer for the opportunity and say "this is a change to find something better that I truly love." Taking this tactic can also let the other person think they're in control of the situation, which you may need to do to avoid her further. If you are constantly exposed to the intolerable person, it can have significant impact on your attitude. Limiting or stopping contact with the person can help decrease the stress you experience in their presence. If you can't remove a person from your life entirely, or you don't want to hurt him, you can limit your exposure to him. You can also counteract the person's negativity by pointing out the positive in what he says or does. This way, you don't get drawn down his negative path. There are different ways to limit contact with the person. For example, if you are at a meeting or in a class, don't sit near them or move if they are close to you. This also works in social settings. If you have to engage with the person either professionally or personally, remember to keep the contact civil and polite. Keep what you say limited and watch that you don't use any inflammatory language or statements that may be misinterpreted. You can always cancel events or call in sick if you absolutely cannot handle dealing with the person in question. If all other tactics to tolerate a person with whom you clash fail, have an independent person act as a mediator. This measure can help diffuse the situation and may find a more constructive and less destructive way for you to proceed in your relationship to the person. Mediators can be any authority figure such as a boss or a teacher. It's important that you not involve mutual friends to mediate. This could cause you to lose friends.

What is a summary?
Determine the source of your conflict. Accept the difference and move on. Stay polite and professional. Limit contact with the person. Get mediation from an independent person.