Helping Leaders Excel™
Dealing with Difficult People
Dealing with difficult people has been a common problem for ages -accordingly our numerous articles, talks, and media quotes. Happily with a brief description or email, we can provide a client the right approach and wording to ensure the success of meetings and conversations-- formal or informal.
Our knowledge and understanding of people and how they will act is highly valued in today’s volatile world. Per a star investor, “we’re good at financial diligence, but you’re expert in people diligence”. Whether a client is in another country, traveling or just time-pressured, help is rapid thanks to our focus on clients. Deliberately small, confidentiality is maintained and conflicts avoided.
Tips for Dealing with Difficult People:
-
Don’t try to change them or be their friend.
-
People don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say.
-
Little things can mean a lot to people. (Read Understanding Bosses)
-
Learn stress basics—business/weather turbulence, 9/11 and more have taught us the need to be prepared.
-
Under stress, a person’s dominant traits become more pronounced.
-
Remember if you think someone is difficult, he/she probably thinks the same of you. There’s always someone with whom they get along-watch for cues
-
It's extremely difficult to have friends working for you.
-
Most people aren't one-time learners. You need to repeat instructions.
-
Consistency and predictability are essential. Situational management doesn’t work-people want to know what to expect.
-
Say thank you. Whether it is one-on-one, publicly, in verbal or written form, it is important to recognize efforts and success.
-
Not everyone is motivated by same thing.