How should we deal with the rise of erratic people in our world - and around the world?

We’ve all come across them. Friends. Colleagues. Family members. And increasingly more so, world leaders... People who feel… unpredictable.

One minute everything seems calm, controlled, even positive. The next, it’s like the ground shifts beneath your feet. The mood changes, the tone sharpens, and suddenly you’re left wondering what the heck just happened. And why.

That kind of erratic behaviour isn’t just confusing, it’s draining. It pulls you into emotional turmoil if you’re not careful. You might find yourself overthinking, second- guessing, or trying to ‘manage’ their reactions just to keep the peace. And that’s where things start to go wrong.

Because the truth is, you can’t control someone else’s instability. But you can control how much of it you absorb. So, what’s the answer? Well, for starters, here are three ideas for you.

First, stay objective. Strip things back to the facts. What’s actually happening here? Not what it feels like in the heat of the moment. Erratic people (Donald Trump, let’s say) often create noise and if you react to that noise emotionally, you get pulled into their chaos.Cut through the waffle, and the storytelling and focus on what you know about the truth.Base your judgement on that.

Second, don’t let someone else dictate your mood or behaviour. This is a big one. It’s easy to mirror what’s in front of you- frustration, sarcasm, unpredictability. But if you do that, you’ve lost yourself. You’re reacting, not choosing.

And that’s exactly where erratic behaviour has power over you. Erratic people want to suck you in to their world, they want your support because it gives them more fuel to carry on. Pause and be aware of how you are reacting and responding. Are you becoming like them?

Third, decide your role. You can either be a voice of reason - calm, steady, measured - or you can step back and create a bit of distance. Not every situation needs your input, and not every person deserves your energy. Sometimes the most powerful move is to just not engage.

That might take some strength, but it’s totally worth it. Why? Because consistency is strength. Calm is strength. And not getting swept up in someone else’s ups and downs? That’s strength too. Take a stance and stick with it. You are not that person.

Erratic people will always exist. In your circle, in your workplace, and on a much bigger, global stage. They are all around us, and you’ve seen them, haven’t you? The goal isn’t to fix them. Because you can’t. But you do have the power to influence them. And reason with them. More importantly, your power is staying in control of yourself, no matter how unpredictable things get around you.

So, I’m afraid that having uncertainty - and a growing number of erratic leaders in our world - is our (unfortunate) reality. Although do consider this: for every leader you think is erratic - someone you live with, or work with, will believe they are merely ‘passionate’ and will love them all the more for it.

Let’s be honest, we’ve no idea what is going to happen from one day to the next do we? Not only in our own life, but globally- which often affects our lives. It’s a scary thought if we focus on it for too long.

That’s why we have to be ‘on alert’ with the people we surround ourselves with, and the people we listen to. Dealing with, managing, and learning how to handle erratic behaviour isn’t just a one-off job. This is now a job for life.