Positive Approaches to Difficult People

Do not let "difficult" people ruin another day! Learn approaches for maintaining your composure and clarifying underlying issues, as well as strategic questioning and listening techniques to discover what is behind someone with a difficult personality. Leave the course refreshed and prepared to minimize the negative impact of difficult people in your work environment.

Target Audience

This course is ideal for professionals who want to effectively manage interactions with difficult people and maintain a positive work environment.

What You'll Learn at a Glance

• Provide a definition of a difficult person. 
• Determine your personality and behavior style. 
• Determine your communication style. 
• Determine your listening style. 
• Understand how filters in life affect listening. 
• Deal effectively with criticism. 
• Recognize conflict-inducing behaviors. 
• Analyze your assertive responses. 
• Use a six-step technique to develop assertive responses. 
• Identify the eight types of difficult people.
• Identify the four quadrants that encompass the eight types of difficult people. 
• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of each quadrant. 
• Identify positive strategies for dealing with people.

Course Syllabus

Module 1: Difficult People

• Define what makes someone “difficult” in the workplace
• Identify personal behavior, communication, and listening styles
• Understand the CARE Profile and your assertiveness/focus quadrant
• Recognize patterns of difficult behavior and self-awareness

Module 2: Communication Barriers

• Explore 12 common communication barriers across three categories
• Learn how poor listening and ineffective communication trigger conflict
• Complete a Listening Inventory to assess personal listening habits
• Understand filters and biases that influence perception

Module 3: The Art of Criticism

• Redefine criticism as a tool for growth and development (TASK model)
• Practice the EPM (Empathize, Pinpoint, Move Forward) approach
• Apply the Four-A Formula for receiving criticism effectively

Module 4: Overcoming Conflict

• Evaluate common conflict behaviors through a self-assessment
• Address six key communication challenges that escalate conflict
• Practice non-threatening “I” statements to de-escalate tension

Module 5: Styles of Communicating