Dealing with Difficult People Presented By Steven Riccobono and Kathleen Caggiano-Siino

Todays Take Away You will learn about:  Are they a Bully or Difficult Personality?  Difficult Personality Types  How to cope with the difficult personality types. Source: “Dealing With Difficult People” By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. Wound Care Advisor, September/October 2013

By Definition Difficult [dif-i-kuhlt] adjective  hard to deal with or get on with  hard to please or satisfy  hard to persuade or induce; stubborn:

Bully verse Difficult Behavior  Hard to distinguish at times  Bullying is often targeted towards a single person and not a group

Signs of a Bully  These are often the signs:  Talking behind ones back instead of directly resolving the conflict  Isolating or “freezing out” a colleague from group activities  Sabotaging others in a way that deliberately sets up the victim up for a negative situation  Refusing to be available when a colleague needs assistance  Not sharing important information with a colleague

Difficult Personality Types The Volcano  Abrupt, intimidating, domineering, arrogant, and prone to making personal attacks.

Difficult Personality Types The Sniper  Highly skilled in passive aggressive behavior, he or she takes potshots and engages in non-playful teasing

Difficult Personality Types The Chronic Complainer  Whiny, finds fault in EVERY situation, and accuses and blames other for problems. Never brings solutions to the problems.

Difficult Personality Types The Clam  Disengaged and unresponsive, closes down when you try to have a conversation.

Who Changes?  You can’t change the way someone else is behaving when they are difficult.  It’s a habit that they will not change unless they get different responses. YOU YOU  You need to change the way YOU respond to them!YOU

Choice of Response You have options on how you respond:  Nothing  Walking away  Changing your attitude  Changing your behavior

Free Yourself!  Changing your attitude and behavior forces the difficult person to learn different ways to deal with you!  Don’t try to change the difficult person  Don’t take it personally  Set Boundaries  Acknowledge the persons feelings  Try empathy  Hold your ground  Use fewer words

In short…  Know the difference when someone is being difficult verses bullying  Try to change how you approach that difficult personality by altering your response

Questions