Challenge to Change: Motivational Interviewing for an Entitled Jerk at the Grocery Store

These techniques are designed to help you help an entitled jerk at the grocery store understand why it is important to treat the store employees with respect and challenge them to change the way they interact with them and the general public.

Express Empathy

An entitled jerk at the grocery store is a person just like you and me. We are all struggling with new normals from this pandemic, but this is no reason to treat someone badly. Tell an entitled jerk at the grocery store that you understand their frustrations and praise them for their efforts of physical distancing or for wearing a mask. We are all trying our best and appreciate the steps an entitled jerk at the grocery store has taken to keep themselves and yourself safe. Always remember to keep a safe distance and avoid speaking moistly at all times.

Develop Discrepancy

Ask an entitled jerk at the grocery store about his or her background. Why are they shopping at the store? Are they picking something up for someone stuck at home? Who are they putting at risk if they get kicked out of the store and can no longer shop? This may help an entitled jerk at the grocery store to realize how their behaviour may be pushing them away from their goals. Even if an entitled jerk at the grocery store does not answer, they will still begin to think about change and reasons for or against it.

Rolling With Resistance

An entitled jerk at the grocery store may not answer your open-ended questions. Do not demand answers. Instead, just ask different questions. If an entitled jerk at the grocery store gets defensive, change the topic. You may never get an answer, but these questions may start other conversations with people waiting in line and lessen the hostile atmosphere created by an entitled jerk at the grocery store.  

Support Self Efficacy

Commend an entitled jerk at the grocery store if they treat you or others with respect. Reinforce this behaviour whenever possible. Eventually, an entitled jerk at the grocery store will realize they are capable of treating others with respect and the challenge of change will be realized.

Kelley Denham

To learn more about Motivational Interviewing, check out http://www.smartrecovery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/UsingMIinSR.pdf