1 ‘Effectively Dealing with Difficult People’ Panel Discussion – Canadian Legal Conference August 15, :45 – noon Sheraton Hotel, NL

2 Kathy Brings Another Perspective MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT B.A., B. Ed, MBA 15 yrs. team/leadership & HR, soft skills training, HR, professional coaching, teaching at MUN - Business PERSON Learning addict, idea traveller and thought explorer (TEDX, 100 day..) Facilitating remarkable improvements in organizations and YOU!

3 Very Experienced in Dealing with Difficult People Have met your most difficult clients or colleagues many times Worked with 25 – 40 staff; three unions; 1000’s of stakeholders

How are you showing up today? Most days?

PRESS RESET: 3 DEEP BREATHS TIME FOR YOU _______ YOUR REFLECTING YOUR LEARNING YOUR IMPROVING Participate with Intention to ‘Deal Better with Difficult People’ Why are you in this session?

6 Dealing Effectively with Difficult People at Work in 2014 An Overview and Learning Outcomes 1. Who do you see as difficult at work? - Understand your paradigm 2. Why are people difficult at work today? - Recognize two key causes of work conflict 3. How can you deal more effectively with difficult people? - Review 5 strategies - Adopt one strategy

Your Paradigm Matters....

Who do you see as difficult at work?

Difficult People at Work - Your Paradigm How do you deal with him/her now? Who is difficult at your work? What is difficult about him/her? How do you feel about this person? What are you saying about him/her? Pair/Share

Difficult People at Work - Your Paradigm Are you ready to do something different? Is what you are doing working? Difficult or Different?

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12 Two Key Causes of Conflict at Work A. Cultural diversity My Chinese coaching clients Your work? B. Generational diversity My team varied from 20 – 55yrs Your work? Table Share

13 Conflict: Cultural Diversity Example #1: High Context vs. Low Context Cultures Infer most information from context Convey little information explicitly Prefer indirectness, politeness, ambiguity Consider oral agreements more binding than written ones Rely heavily on nonverbal signs Japanese Arabic Latin American

14 Conflict: Cultural Diversity Example #1: Low Context Culture Context is of low importance Information is explicitly conveyed Value directness: may see indirectness as dishonest or manipulative Value written word more than oral statements North American Scandinavian German

15 Conflict: Cultural Diversity Example #2: Different views of time can create challenges Monochromatic cultures  focus on clock time  being “on time” is a sign of dependability and respect Polychromatic cultures  focus on relationships  less time conscience (take a leisurely approach to time)

16 Conflict: Cultural Diversity Example #3: Cultures attach meaning differently to: Body Language: open or closed, eye contact, gestures, smiles Conversational Style: opening, pausing, interrupting, finishing each others’ sentences, closing Silence and Voice Qualities: stress, volume, pitch, tone Other Non-Verbal Symbols: color, clothing, age, height

17 Conflict: Generational Diversity Think of your Workplace The Seniors (68-85 yrs) 2. Baby Boomers (50-67 yrs) 3. Generation X (35 – 49 yrs) 4. Generation Y, Echo Boomers, Millenials (19 – 34 yrs) 5. Generation Z (< 18 yrs) How and why the Four Generation differ (5 mins) Which generation or cohort do you find difficult?

18 Conflict: Generational Diversity Why does conflict at work arise?

19 Generation Y and Boomers  60 minutes Generation Y - The Millenniums (3mins) 60 minutes Generation Y - The Millenniums (3mins)  &v=owwM6FpWWoQ - (same as above) &v=owwM6FpWWoQ -  Relates to your workplace - How?  Relates to you – How?

Be Proactive vs. Reactive “If you can predict conflict, you can minimize and maybe avoid it” - Expect it - Plan for it e.g. School musical 2. Act with Courage and Consideration - First sign of smoke, Act e.g. New staff placed Five Strategies for Dealing Effectively with Difficult Clients and Colleagues

Welcome the Tyrant (p.110) - Be curious and concerned - Learn about yourself 4. Keep your Seat (p.213) - Learn from Japanese samurai lords Source: Awake at Work, Michael Carroll Strategies for Dealing Effectively with Difficult Clients and Colleagues

“Keep learning, Expand your skill set, Do not take it personally, and Let it go”. Different Difficult Mentally Ill Source: Susan Scott & Kathy Strategies for Dealing Effectively with Difficult Clients and Colleagues

23 Learning Stop Light, Summary and Wrap Up ……………… Learning Stoplight See handout for resources What has struck you? What new idea or strategy will you adopt to improve how you deal with difficult people?