CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE September - October 2022 | Page 14
6 . Kill Them with Kindness It ’ s hard to respond to hate with kindness . But since trolls are usually looking for a fight , reacting with an opposite approach often stops them in their tracks . It ’ s worth noting that this shouldn ’ t be your expected outcome . In this case , the aggressiveness came from a place of fear and confusion , but in most other instances , trolls aren ’ t going to come around . Still , it doesn ’ t hurt to show a little kindness . You might make a difference in someone ’ s life .
7 . Disarm Them with Humor Much like with kindness , trolls aren ’ t usually equipped to respond to humor . Their goal is to make people mad , not make them laugh . Laughter is troll kryptonite . However , be cautious with a humorous approach . It ’ s easy to cross the line and become offensive in the eyes of your audience .
8 . Block , Ban , or Report Trolls While this option is more tedious , it ’ s sometimes necessary if you have a troll that just won ’ t stop . Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and most other social media platforms give you the option to report a post for being abusive , among other options like unfollowing the person who posted it .
9 . Decompress Before You Reply Remember : a troll ’ s goal is to make you and other people upset . Don ’ t let them achieve their goal . Before you type a response , try this :
• Take a deep breath .
• Walk away for a few minutes ( minimum ).
• Remind yourself it ’ s not personal and it ’ s not worth getting upset . Their goal is to get a negative reaction from someone and you happen to be the target in that moment .
When you ’ re composed enough to return and address the issue , try to keep a clear , open mind .
10 . Stay Professional One of the worst errors you can make is confusing an unhappy customer or follower for a troll and responding in an unprofessional manner . Stay calm and factual . If someone is complaining about your business , apologize and try to redirect the conversation to a private channel so the issues can be resolved outside of the public ’ s scrutiny . If it ’ s a follower , again you can redirect the conversation to a private chat to continue the conversation . If someone is nitpicking a typo or other minor mistake , thank them for pointing out the error , fix it , and then don ’ t engage any further . Whether you ’ re answering a troll or a real customer or follower , remember that your comments are public , and the rest of the community is watching . In most cases , people are less concerned with what the problem was and more with how you handled it .
11 . Talk to Someone If trolls are getting you down , it can help to talk with someone . This can either be a close friend or a mental health professional or a mental game coach to allow you to both vent and get some helpful strategies tailored to the specific situation .
If you would like help in dealing with a specific internet troll ( s ), please text me at ( 416 ) 805-6155 or email me at lesley @ timbol . ca so that we can exterminate that pesky online flea .