Practice not only getting along with people, but also making them feel good about themselves and their work for the Lord.

• Keep your people happily busy in the lord's work; they will gripe far less.
• When someone is being difficult, deal with him/her in a positive way. Listen to all parties. Help those at odds to listen to each other (ask them to repeat what the other has said, to make sure they are listening!).
• Look for the root of bitterness (almost never the complaint that is first voiced).
• Deal with it at the level of involvement; if it is a family matter, deal with the family, not just the individual who complains.

*Find in Genesis 21:22-34, what Abraham and, later, Isaac, did with Abimelech, to live together in peace.

*Find in the book of 1 Samuel:

• Guidelines for developing friendships,
• Examples of good and bad leadership.

*Find in 2 Kings good and bad examples of leadership for God's people.

Terminating staff without causing resentment: Leadership Handbooks of Practical Theology, edited by James Berkeley, Volume 3: session 21

If you work cross-culturally, then you must learn what are the standards by which local people judge and compare persons and things.

• What are their values? Ask about the causes for which people have quarrels, might leave home or commit suicide.
• Why might a person be left out of family inheritance?
• What are the things on which people spend their time and money, besides food and shelter?
• What are the steps commonly used to reconciliation or reintegration of those who commit offenses?