Overview

By identifying the different personality types and how to deal with them effectively, it provides the skills necessary for dealing with challenging people and conflict situations. It particularly helps a manager when they have to tackle poor performance or absence conversations – from an informal conversation through to a formal meeting. Delegates are provided with practical techniques to help them manage a wide variety of potentially confrontational conversations and situations confidently and effectively.

Objectives

• Understand classic characteristics of challenging conversations, people or situations and strategies for managing each.
• Pre-empt difficult situations and avoid escalating them further.
• Recognise personality types with which you may personally feel challenged.
• Mastering proactive, assertive conversations.
• Manage aggressive behaviour.
• Calm angry, upset and unresponsive individuals.
• Strengthen your ability to influence and negotiate.

N.B. Prior to the course delegates will be asked to complete a pre-training form that will enable us to tailor the course further.

Content

• The need for managing difficult conversations
• Understanding my natural preference towards difficult conversations- self assessment
• Understanding behaviour and its impacts
• What makes a situation/ individual challenging? Understanding difficult behaviour
• An Introduction to T. A and the psychology behind communication
• How to turn a negative person or situation into a positive one
• Body language, voice, mirroring, environment layout etc
• Key communication strategies that help you deal effectively with difficult conversations
• Paraphrasing to avoid assumptions or misunderstandings
• Using feedback in both positive and negative contexts
• Empathy – practical activities
• Listening and questioning skills to get the true perception of the situation, show confidence and maintain control
• Three different behaviour types
• Clarifying the difference between aggressive, assertive and passive behaviour
• Recognising the effects of each type on oneself and others
• Dealing with difficult situations
• Situations that may arise – highlighting practical ways to deal with them
• Dealing in fact– not emotion
• Using positive language and a positive approach to influence outcomes
• Practical exercises based around real-life scenarios
• Action planning
• Summary and close