How It All Started
Got stuck working with this woman in a volunteer group last month. She’d constantly interrupt meetings talking about her vacation homes while ignoring everyone else’s ideas. Classic “me me me” stuff. When we tried discussing team schedules, she turned it into why her personal time was more valuable than ours.
The Experiment Plan
Decided to test three methods I read about:
- Grey rock technique (acting boring)
- Broken record repetition
- Controlled information diet
Monday – Grey Rock Disaster
Tried being super dull when she bragged about her promotion. Just said “mmhmm” while checking my phone. Big mistake. She got PISSED, started loudly asking if I had hearing problems. Whole team stared at us. Lesson: Cold ignoring backfires hard.
Wednesday – Broken Record Win
When she demanded we change meeting days for her yoga class, I calmly repeated “We’ll stick to the original schedule” like a broken CD player. No explanations, no anger. After four rounds she actually sighed and dropped it! Felt like scoring a touchdown.
Friday – Information Diet Success
Stopped sharing personal details completely. When she asked about weekend plans? Just said “stuff and things.” Zero emotional reaction when she criticized my project idea. Noticed her getting visibly frustrated I wasn’t giving supply for manipulation. Best part: She started bothering other people more.
What Actually Worked
- Broken record technique – saves energy, stops circular arguments
- Zero personal details – becomes way harder to push your buttons
- Documenting everything – wrote down every unreasonable demand as proof
Still failed at setting boundaries though. When I said “Please don’t yell during presentations,” she immediately accused ME of being aggressive. These types twist everything.
Final Thoughts
Three weeks later, she still tries baiting me during coffee breaks. Now I just excuse myself to the restroom mid-sentence. Not perfect but drains less energy than before. Biggest takeaway? You can’t fix this behavior – just build better defenses.