workplace skills
Coping With Difficult People At Work
Every workplace has its share of difficult people: perfectionists, schemers, bullies, unscrupulous persons, games players. It's sometimes a matter of managing minefields. One swallow does not make a summer and one episode of trying behaviour does not mean the person is difficult. Stress or ill-health might be a fundamental cause and therefore does not mean the person is basically difficult.
But what can be done if the behaviour patterns are repeated and your "hot buttons" are being punched time and time again? This introductory course focuses on improving our understanding of the language and actions of ourselves and others, with a strong emphasis on self-awareness and control.
Objectives
At the conclusion of the seminar participants should be able to:
- Outline basic social styles
- Identify types of challenging behaviours
- Describe why people become difficult
- Understand ways in which negativity impacts on relationships and performance
- Identify positive strategies for dealing with challenging personalities
- Use techniques to develop assertive responses and give feedback to difficult people to effect change
- Programme outline
Participants are introduced to a broad range of subjects including:
- Behavioural styles
- Why do people behave the way they do?
- Whiners, snipers, show offs? Just who pushes your 'hot buttons'?: Some classic types of "difficult" behaviour
- Effective strategies for dealing with difficult people including drawing your boundaries, addressing repetitive behaviours and gaining compliance
- Communication barriers
- Creative listening
- The elephant in the living room - the role of conflict
- Assertiveness
- I can't solve your problem - I am the problem!: Strategies for dealing with your own difficult personality
- Changing our attitudes
