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Conflict Management and Handling Difficult People Skills Blog

Chris Farmer's Leadership and Management Training Blog

Chris Farmer

Welcome - the purpose of the blog page is to provide you with a never ending source of valuable, practical and entertaining information designed to help you get the best performance from yourself and others.

In these blogs you will find all the information you need to make faster progress in less time and effort. Here you will find all the information you need to achieve your goals. In addition to helping yourself to achieve your goals, you can use the same information to help others to achieve their goals.

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Conflict Management and Handling Difficult People Skills Blogs

Conflict is inevitable.

Conflict is inevitable because people do not all share the same ideas.

We all have different ideas about what is true, what is good and what is possible.

And we all have different ways of behaving. These differences cause conflict. Therefore you need to know how to handle conflict properly.

If conflicts are handled properly they can be beneficial. Because when two ideas collide, they can stimulate a third idea which was better than either one of them taken singly.

Conflict Management and Handling Difficult People Skills Blogs

Fixing Bad Relationships At Work

2 April 2024 Fixing Bad Relationships at Work Thumbnail

When faced with resistance at work, it is important to remain clear, rational and positive. When you express negative emotions verbally, it is counterproductive. Avoid venting frustrations onto others by maintaining composure and positivity.

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Is the Karpman Drama Triangle Good for Resolving Conflicts?

8 November 2022 Is the Karpman Drama Triangle Good for Resolving Conflicts? Thumbnail

The Karpman Drama Triangle represents a commonly used method to resolve conflicts, but is flawed and ineffective. This blog explains what should be used instead to resolve conflict.

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Dealing With Conflicts of Interest Within a Team

28 June 2022 Dealing With Conflicts of Interest Within a Team Thumbnail

All employees should be working together to achieve the organisation's ultimate aim. Any conflicts of interest within teams must be resolved quickly. So what is the best method for dealing with conflicts within a team?

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How to Deal With Difficult Employees

17 November 2021 How to Deal With Difficult Employees Thumbnail

Whether difficult employees disagree with our current plan, or their behaviour is challenging, they should be treated according to the principles of reason. We examine the steps that should be taken when dealing with difficult people.

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Dealing With Difficult Behaviour At Work

25 October 2019 Dealing With Difficult Behaviour at Work Thumbnail

Every organisation has people who are difficult to work with. Handling these people can be challenging, but taking the time to learn how to deal with difficult people is worthwhile and will make your working environment a better place for everyone.

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How to Manage Bullying In the Workplace

7 December 2018 How to Manage Bullying in the Workplace Thumbnail

If your job is to manage people, then it is highly likely that you will have to handle alleged bullying incidents. Here are some guidance notes on how to manage bullying.

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De-Escalation Skills

16 October 2018 De-escalation Skills Thumbnail

De-escalation of a difficult situation is vital, in order to avoid it becoming a crisis or conflict. Take a look at these de-escalation techniques you should master that will allow you to take control of a situation and defuse a potential conflict.

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Conflict Resolution Skills

7 September 2018 Conflict Resolution Skills Thumbnail

Disputes within your organisation can be costly. Therefore you need to have a number of skills, including listening and questioning skills, together with negotiation and emotional management skills, in order to quickly find resolutions.

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Dispute Resolution

17 July 2018 Dispute Resolution Thumbnail

People disagree. But, whatever the cause of a disagreement, a manager must learn how to handle it professionally, before it escalates into conflict and interferes with the business. Here are five common strategies for resolving disputes.

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How to Handle the Workplace Bully

4 May 2018 How to Handle the Workplace Bully Thumbnail

People bully others for a number of reasons, but unless you deal with them quickly and decisively, the bullying will just carry on. Here we offer some useful advice on how to handle that workplace bully. Don't be a victim of bullying at work.

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How to Handle a Complaint

28 March 2018 How to Handle a Complaint Thumbnail

It is vital that all staff are taught how to handle complaints in a professional manner. Follow this six step method for handling complaints successfully and improve your overall customer service.

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How to Deal With a Bully At Work

6 March 2018 How to deal with a bully at work Thumbnail

Do you have a problem with a bully at work? Would you like to have the confidence to fight back? Follow these six simple steps to take control of the situation and defeat the bully.

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Grievances At Work

29 September 2017 Grievances at Work Thumbnail

Grievances at work are generally caused by what someone said or didn't say, or what a person did or didn't do. Obviously, prevention is preferable to trying to sort out a grievance. But what if you already have an issue. Try this six-step method...

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Top Ten Conflict Management Techniques

26 September 2017 Top Ten Conflict Management Techniques Thumbnail

Your organisation needs people to cooperate. However, inevitably people disagree, which can lead to conflict situations. It is important to learn conflict management techniques, since conflicts are costly and disruptive.

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How to Deal With Lazy People At Work

11 April 2017 How to Deal with Lazy People at Work Thumbnail

Working with a lazy person is not only frustrating, it can also mean that you have to take on their work as well as your own. Follow these key points to get them to do their share of the work.

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How to Handle Workplace Conflict

10 June 2016 How to handle workplace conflict Thumbnail

Learn how to manage conflict situations logically, confidently and quickly.

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How to Handle Conflict Situations

28 August 2015 How to Handle Conflict Situations Thumbnail

It is important that managers are able to handle conflict in an assertive, yet positive and professional manner. In order to do that they need to know the principles governing rational conflict management skills.

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Using Reason to Handle Difficult People

5 June 2015 Using Reason to Handle Difficult People Thumbnail

If you wish to get on with difficult people, then appeal to their sense of reason. Treat all problems, and all people according to the principles of reason.

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How to Handle a Difficult Person In Six Easy Steps

10 April 2015 How to Handle a Difficult Person in Six Easy Steps Thumbnail

A simple six-step technique that will allow you to deal with argumentative people both at work and in your personal life.

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How to Deal With Conflict Situations

27 March 2015 How to Deal with Conflict Situations Thumbnail

Conflict is inevitable when dealing with people who do not think or act the way you believe to be correct. Learning how to handle conflict situations is important.

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How to Give Feedback

27 January 2015 How to give feedback Thumbnail

Feedback is a crucial concept, in the development of every person. We all need feedback on our performance.

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Six Rules for Better Conflict Management

21 October 2014

Six Rules for Better Conflict Management Are you looking for some ideas on how to better handle conflict and difficult people? If so, I have some good points for you. Over the last ten years, I have taught these ideas to thousands of people who find themselves in conflict situations similar

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6 Step Method to Handle Difficult People

9 June 2014

6 step method to handle difficult people On occasion, you have to handle difficult people. But there are two major contexts in which that can occur: When you are the one who is taking the initiative to speak first. When the other person is the one who is taking the initiative

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Conflict Resolution Training - How to Manage Conflict

7 May 2014 Conflict Resolution Training - How to Manage Conflict Thumbnail

Conflict is inevitable since we all have our own ideas about what is true, fair and good. How we handle conflict is important.

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Management Skills Training - Giving Constructive Criticism

5 March 2014

Giving constructive criticism Giving constructive criticism is one of the most important skills for the leader/ manager. Constructive criticism is criticism of a person's behaviour, work performance or idea, which is perceived by the receiver, to be more like help, or friendly guidance, rather than "a telling off". Constructive criticis

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How to Deal With a Smelly Person At Work

29 April 2013 How to deal with a smelly person at work Thumbnail

If you have the task of telling a colleague that they smell, these are the steps you need to take.

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Reason Vs Excuse

20 December 2011 Reason vs Excuse Thumbnail

Learn to distinguish between a reason and an excuse; be determined, but not stubborn; separate facts from fiction.

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Communication and Conflict Resolution Training

17 November 2011

Communication and Conflict resolution training Conflict at work is inevitable: you are bound to get some. The reason you are bound to see conflict is that people do not have the same ideas: What you think is good: they think is bad. What you think is unacceptable, they think is normal

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Blog Categories

Accelerated Learning (6)

Accelerated learning techniques are special methods of organising information, so that you can more rapidly memorise and more accurately recall it on demand. Accelerated learning also includes mind mapping and creative thinking techniques.

Assertiveness (5)

Assertiveness is a both a communication style and a mind-set which, when combined, allows a people to express their meaning using just the amount of forcefulness, in relation to their body language, voice tone and spoken language.

Change Management (15)

Change management training is how to use the fact of continuous change, to work FOR you, rather than against you. It is a fact that all improvement implies change, but many people hate change. Change management is about training people to love change as a means of making the future better.

Coaching, Mentoring and Developing Staff (8)

There is a pressing need to develop the next generation of leaders, managers and technical experts. One way to develop staff is through coaching and mentoring. To be an effective coach and mentor is not an easy skill to master. These blogs discuss the skills of coaching, mentoring and staff development.

Communication - Clear Communication (80)

One to the most important facets of communication is clarity. Whenever you write or speak, your words should denote only one possible meaning. If your words can be properly interpreted in multiple ways, then you are creating the conditions for confusion, error and misunderstanding. These blogs discuss the nature of clear communication.

Communication - Listening Skills (6)

Communication includes the ability to attend to, understand and memorise what people say to you. Effective Listening is an active, not a passive process. These bloggs discuss what it takes to be a good listener.

Communication - Nonverbal Communication (8)

Communication includes a large visual component. How you appear, as you speak, makes a big difference to how your message is received. These blogs are about how to best use your body language. (Eye contact, posture, dress, hand and arm gestures, etc.)

Communication - Persuasive Communication (41)

Persuasion is the art of convincing others that your ideas are good, right, fair and practical, and in addition, persuasion includes motivating people to put your ideas into action. Persuasion is a key communication skill that everyone should study. These blogs discuss how to be more persuasive.

Communication - Written Communication (5)

A part of your communication is in the written form. Writing well is a skill that most people do not study, though it is of immense importance. These blogs discuss how you might improve your written communication.

Conflict Management and Handling Difficult People (28)

Conflict is inevitable, and when it occurs, you need to resolve it quickly and efficiently. Conflict management (and handling difficult people) is about managing your communication and your emotions, so that you arrive at a negotiated solution as quickly as possible. This series of blogs discusses the various ways you can best manage conflict.

Decision Making and Problem Solving (22)

Decision making is the skill of selecting the best option from many options. And problem solving is the skill at determining the causes and implications of a problem and finding efficient remedies. This series of blogs discusses the elements of effective decision making and problem solving.

Goal Setting (8)

Success is the achievement of a worthwhile goal. And therefore, the first step to achieving a goal is to set it. Goal setting is the starting point of all achievement and is one of the most important topics you could study. This series of blogs discuss the elements of goal setting.

Leadership and Management (151)

Leadership is the art of setting a clear goal and inspiring others to achieve it. Management is the art of organising resources so as to most efficiently achieve that goal. This series of blogs discuss the details of leadership and management.

Mental Health (12)

Mental health is the skill of managing your own mind so as to achieve mental stability and a high degree of rationality. Mental ill health is the opposite, mental instability and irrational actions. This series of blogs, discusses how you might manage your mind.

Motivation (34)

Motivation is an emotion that induces action. Without motivation, nobody would achieve anything of value. This series of blogs discusses the various ways you can motivate yourself and others.

Other (36)

Whilst interesting and informative in their own right, these blogs don't fit into a category.

People Management (13)

People management is a combination of skills including goal setting, communication, planning, handling conflict and motivation skills. This series of blogs discusses people management skills.

Personal Development (73)

The best investment you can make is in your own personal development. If you develop your skills, knowledge and experience, then you will maximise your potential to produce excellent results. This series of blogs looks at the details of personal development.

Personal Effectiveness (87)

You are not paid for how hard you work; you are paid for your effectiveness. It is possible to improve your effectiveness and get more valuable work done in less time and effort. This series of blogs discusses how you might improve your personal effectiveness and therefore speed up your rate of progress.

Positive Thinking (9)

The quality of your results is based upon the quality of your actions. And your actions are controlled by your thoughts. To simultaneously improve both your material results and your mental health, it is vital to develop the skills of positive thinking.

Stress Management (4)

Stress can be both good for you and bad for you. Good Stress triggers improvement. Bad stress grinds you down. Stress management is about using stress to help you to improve, and to avoid the negative effects of too much stress. These blogs discuss the various aspects of stress management.

Supervisory Management Skills (4)

Supervisory management skills are a combination of five major skill sets, setting goals, communication skills, planning, performance management and motivation. These blogs discuss the details of supervisory management skills.

Team Leadership (7)

For the most part, we all work in teams. Leading the team effectively can make all the difference to the performance of the team, as a whole. This series of blogs discuss the details of team leadership.

Teamwork (19)

Teams are often composed of people who have very different personalities and skills. In order to perform well, the members of the team must work well together and play to each other’s strengths. This series of blogs covers the importance of team work skills.

Time Management (16)

Time management is about prioritising, planning, organising and delegating, so that, at any moment, you are always adding the most value, and setting the conditions for your future success. This series of blogs investigates how you might better manage your time.