Question: How do you suggest dealing with someone saying negative things about your company when really the problem is them? This woman has a history of complaining, jealousy, troublemaking…
–Leslie Sturgeon, Women Inspiring Women, New Hampton, N.H.
Ali’s Answer: “First of all, know you are not alone. The higher you climb, the more a target you are for the ones hanging out below. Of course, we all want and need good feedback. There is definitely a difference between someone offering constructive criticism — such as how you can improve a program — versus someone talking sh*t about you online or offline. If this woman as you said has a history of doing this not only about you but others, I wouldn’t worry. The more she does it, the more everyone will realize that’s just what she does. And it’s not about you or the other people she complains about. It’s about HER, and her issues.
The hard part is to ignore it and not let it hurt us. I deal with this everyday — for the 100 people who write to say I’ve changed their life, there’s one blogging negative things about me. And I just think, “WWOD?” (What would Oprah do?) Would she give a hoot? No, and if they were a jerk she’d pass it on to her legal department. (I’ve done that as well!) And look at all the people who actually hate Oprah! I mean she does so much for women and the world, but she still has haters! As Zig Ziglar says, ‘Sometimes the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you!'”
Love and success,
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