Finding ways to keep the peace is something we’ve all had to deal with in our businesses. Whether it’s a coworker, a client, or a coworker’s client, people have drama.

Normally I love other people’s drama. It’s fun. As long as it’s not too serious. But what about a client who is being sexually harassed at work? And she tells you all about what’s happening, but won’t take the steps necessary to stop it?

Or a coworker who is in an abusive relationship? And you have to watch how it affects her every day, but nothing you say can make her take control of the situation?

The interpersonal relationships required in this line of work are both fascinating and maddening.

Deciding how what’s going on in someone else’s life affects me and what I’m reasonably able to do about it has been an interesting experience. Mostly I understand that I can’t fix other people’s problems for them because I can’t fix other people.

But how do I — or any of us — go about conducting business as usual when we are so closely affected by what’s going on in other people’s lives?

I keep remembering the incident a few years back — in Long Beach, maybe? — where a hairstylist was going through a bad divorce, so her ex-husband drove his car through the salon’s front windows.

It was tragic.

You can’t work in this business without working with people. And people can bring madness to your life that you can’t do anything about.

Nail school should include a class on hostage negotiation. It’s the sort of thing that will come in handy at least once in your career.