Conflict Resolution Skills: Dealing with Difficult People (For managers) (2 day)

Course Overview

Modern management demands confident, yet enabling managers - those who have a strong sense of self and the ability to impact positively on others who may have different behavioural styles.

Developing your assertive communication skills will give you the tools to manage your people in the most appropriate manner. You will gain an in-depth insight into the root of negative behaviour in your staff, enabling you to handle tricky situations and "difficult" people capably and effectively. You will also discover how you can best "put your case" in meetings with your seniors, avoid negative confrontation, and achieve successful working relationships with all your clients and colleagues.

Audience

This course is designed to help managers develop their personal effectiveness through building inner resources and authentic assertive communication skills. Managers will discover how to maximise the results of their colleagues and create a constructive working environment - even in difficult situations!

Skills Gained

This course will enable you to:

• Develop a straightforward and productive management style
• Adapt your behaviour style to different situations
• Effectively handle negativity and aggression in others
• Improve the way you manage your workload
• Foster a spirit of co-operation and honesty
• Motivate your staff through positive feedback
• Give and receive negative feedback constructively
• Stand your ground when necessary without alienating others
• Strengthen your influencing and coaching skills
• Neutralise difficult people

Course Outline

ESTABLISHING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• how assertive behaviour is characterised: definitions and examples
• why assertiveness is crucial for success
• Group exercise: Analysing the sources of aggressive & submissive behaviour
• how the assertive-aggressive-submissive circle works for you
• Individual exercise: Examining your negative spirals
• Pair exercise: Identifying the causes of aggressive and submissive behaviour how aggression and submission reduces your short term business efficiency and causes long term damage
• Group exercise: Identifying causes and solutions in specific work-related situations

6 PRACTICAL STEPS TO ESCALATING YOUR ASSERTIVENESS LEVEL

• Pair exercise: Analysing why your current behaviour fails to deliver the results you want

STRENGTHENING YOUR IMPACT

• recognising the fallacy of "I am what I am"
• recognising your influences
• using the power of positive strokes
• harnessing the self-perpetuating power of adaptive behaviour
• generating more positive responses from your colleagues
• Group exercise: Examples of negative and positive past changes
• breaking out of your comfort zones to realise more of your potential
• establishing milestones for longer term goals

IDENTIFYING AND INFLUENCING PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOUR

• identifying effective assertive techniques in different situations
• understanding the benefits and drawbacks of different push / pull styles
• Questionnaire: Identifying your assertive influencing style
• Exercise: Applying assertiveness techniques to your own work situations

HOW TO DEMONSTRATE ASSERTIVE 3V BEHAVIOUR

• achieving visual, vocal and verbal assertiveness
• becoming a "natural communicator"
• active listening techniques
• Questionnaire: Who do you not listen to and why?

IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR STAFF

• assertive qualities of the effective manager
• Group exercise: What assertive skills do you apply in managing your staff?
• where and why aggressive and submissive managers fail
• applying "strokes" in managing people:
• motivating your staff through positive strokes
• understanding the powerful effect of negative strokes
• why zero strokes gain zero respect

• Exercise: 10 steps to effective coaching on a day-to-day basis
• proactively planning, organising and reviewing
• facilitating the ability of your staff to take ownership where appropriate
• Questionnaire: Effective delegation and allocation of tasks
• Roleplay: Handling sensitive issues and ongoing problems

GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK

• 10 steps for giving constructive feedback
• your role as team leader in a flat hierarchy
• Exercise: Responding effectively to constructive criticism

MANAGING YOUR PEERS AND YOUR SUPERIORS

• presenting your case with maximum impact
• staying assertive in the face of aggression
• when you should say no and why

MANAGING THE BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS OF DIFFICULT PEOPLE

• what makes a "difficult" person?
• managing aggressive and submissive behaviour in subordinates, colleagues and clients
• Group exercise: Handling difficult people
• Exercise: Practising assertive behaviour upwards in specific work situations

Your Personal Action Plan

Conflict Resolution Skills: Dealing with Difficult People (For managers) (2 day) / BS-PD-DDM2