No one enjoys dealing with difficult people, yet it is an everyday part of life.  Every workplace has its challenges with individuals who are flat-out rude, demanding, uncivil, mean-spirited and who don’t seem to care about whom they step on.  You might call these people bullies, tyrants or weasels; whatever you call them, these destructive characters do an extremely good job of damaging relationships and undermining self-esteem, confidence and performance.

We’ve all been there: We know we should confront the situation, and we know the encounter will be uncomfortable. Unsure of what to do, we put off difficult conversations or jump in blindly and hope for the best. Either way, we seldom get the results we want.

We put these difficult conversations off because we dread the reaction, we don’t want to start a fight, or don’t want to handle it badly or sound petty. Interestingly, the way we bring things up (or respond to the other person’s attacks) actually makes it more likely that we’ll do damage.

Participants in this course will learn how to recognize difficult individuals, become familiar with the subtle and not so subtle tactics they use, and learn how to skillfully disarm disagreeable people so your personal and professional relationships are less stressful and more enjoyable.
The presenter will offer advice for handling unpleasant exchanges in a manner that accomplishes the objective, and diminishes the possibility that anyone will be needlessly hurt. They will help you stay in control, deal with difficult or irrational behaviour in others, and prevent you from doing or saying things that could get you into trouble.