Managing Difficult Situations

Overview

Difficult behaviour can drag on emotions and productivity. Putting up with people's difficult behaviour is rarely fun. Unfortunately, most of us are more likely to put up with it than we are to try to change it. In this age of teamwork, empowerment and personal responsibility, this is the deal: If the behaviour is bothering you, then you are the person who needs to do something about it.

Dealing effectively with difficult behaviour is a skill that can reap many rewards.

Left alone it will get worse, affect more people and continue to incur hidden costs for organisations in which it occurs. Most difficult behaviour is accidental, but it can also be the result of intentional thought. Sometimes it is sporadic and takes us by surprise. At other times it is ongoing and forms patterns.

Difficult behaviour tends to affect others by:

  • Reducing enjoyment of their work
  • Wasting large amounts of their time
  • Reducing productivity and job satisfaction
  • Causing people to consider or actually resigning and moving on
  • Eating up huge amounts of time in meetings
  • Damaging relationships with clients
  • Turning other people into difficult people (the bad apple theory)

 

Learning Outcomes

  • A model to control the conversation
  • Identify and then review personal situations
  • Apply the learning
  • Practice using the model
  • Provide feedback
  • Develop an action plan

 

Target Audience

Individuals who want to take a proactive approach to dealing with difficult situations in the workplace.

 

Duration

This course can be tailored to business needs. A half day workshop will provide an overview and introductory information. A full day session will incorporate more practical sessions allowing for participants to spend more time practicing and receiving specific feedback.