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Dealing with Difficult Situations and People

 

This free sample is one of the many terrific courses you will find in The Training Bank's Management Development System.

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The following are common types of problems any employee may face. For each scenario we have gone through the 4 step process of diagnosis and resolution. You may certainly consider other alternatives.

If you have a problem that doesn't quite fit the examples provided, you may submit it to us via E-mail. We will work with you to apply the 4 step model and we'll add a "genericized" version of your issue to the system.

Problem or situation

1. Coworker gossips too much and is disrupting your department
2. Another employee is not carrying his/her weight creating more work for you and others
3. You know for a fact an employee is lying about their performance
4. An employee is violating safety rules at work
5. Another employee is constantly interrupting you and cutting you off in conversation
6. A coworker takes credit for work that you did
7. Your manager constantly interrupts your work and is micro-managing you


 

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	Scenario: Here she goes again. Terry is telling you in detail about her weekend right from what she had for breakfast Saturday morning to the toothpaste she used Sunday evening. Doesn't she ever shut up?! Problem or situation: Coworker gossips too much and is disrupting your department
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1. Define the problem in behavioral terms

 

-	employee is constantly talking which disrupts work for you and/or others.

2. What could be the cause?

 

-	employee may be motivated by or seek social relationships at work.
-	employee may not have enough work to do and is bored
	manager has sent mixed messages by encouraging teamwork and open communication but did not properly define the boundaries
-	employee is unaware of how disruptive their behavior is

3. Could I be contributing?

 

-	have you reinforced the behavior by engaging in conversation
-	have you inadvertently reinforced the behavior by laughing or asking questions that prolong the conversation
-	have you allowed it to go on for a long time

4. How should I respond?

 

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Tell the employee in private that their constant conversation is interfering with your (and others) ability to do work. Provide some examples of when / how long they talked. Ask the employee to keep the conversation to a minimum while you and others are working. If you don't mind the conversation otherwise tell them that and that you look forward to spending break time or lunch time chatting.

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	Scenario: Bert was suppose to have unloaded a trailer of parts for the production line but once again he's dropped the ball. You and another coworker jump to it since Bert is no where to be found. Problem or situation: Another employee is not doing his share of work
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1. Define the problem in behavioral terms

 

-	employee is not doing the work expected of them and it's impacting the work load for you and/or others

2. What could be the cause?

 

-	employee lacks the training to do the job
-	employee is genuinely disorganized
-	employee does not understand the steps necessary to do the job
	manager has not clearly assigned work
-	employee is unmotivated (lazy) and is purposefully avoiding the work

3. Could I be contributing?

 

-	has the employee asked you for help in the past but you did not respond
-	have you picked up the extra slack without complaining
-	employee is unmotivated (lazy) and is purposefully avoiding the work

4. How should I respond?

 

-	Tell the employee in private that they are not pulling their weight on the team. Give examples of work they should have done. Explain the impact this has on others by increasing their workloads. Tell them you value them as a team member and that their support is critical to your group succeeding.

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	Scenario: Greg is bragging in the team meeting about how many sales leads he's generated that morning. You sit right next to him and there's no way he generated as many leads as he claimed. It's not the first time he's done this. . Problem or situation: You know for a fact an employee is lying about their performance
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1. Define the problem in behavioral terms

 

-	employee is purposefully lying / exaggerating their performance which sets unrealistic expectations for the rest of the group

2. What could be the cause?

 

-	employee is insecure about their ability and feels the need to exaggerate
-	manager does not monitor actual performance closely enough
-	manager applauds employee's accomplishment
-	employee is recognized / rewarded by manager for apparent accomplishment

3. Could I be contributing?

 

-	have you been aware of this behavior for some time but did not say anything

4. How should I respond?

 

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Tell the employee in private you're aware that they're misstating their performance (try to avoid the word lie) and that it's unfair to the rest of the group. Provide specific examples of what you know they are exaggerating. Suggest that they stop it immediately or that you will have to take the issue up with your manager as it's impacting you and others.

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	Scenario: You work in a rail yard with Randy. The two off you are suppose to clean out a tanker which requires you to wear safety goggles and a mask in case there are fumes inside. In a rush Randy goes in without the necessary equipment. . Problem or situation: An employee is violating safety rules at work
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1. Define the problem in behavioral terms

 

-	employee is taking deliberate action (or inaction) that violates safety rules and puts the employee and/or others at risk

2. What could be the cause?

 

-	employee is unaware of the rules and precautions
-	employee is trying to get too much work done and is cutting corners
-	manager has not explained safety rules or did not take action in the past when rules were violated
-	employee is just reckless

3. Could I be contributing?

 

-	have you looked the other way in the past when the employee violated safety rules
-	have you inadvertently reinforced the behavior by recognizing the employee for how productive they are

4. How should I respond?

 

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Tell the employee immediately that they are violating safety rules and that they need to comply. Give specific examples of rules they violated and what the impact could have been. If they're work is fine otherwise - tell them that. Explain that if the behavior doesn't stop you'll be forced to take the matter to your manager.

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	Scenario: You're at a team meeting explaining an idea you had for improving the department when once again Tim cuts you off and redirects the conversation. You're aggravated because it's not the first time he's done something like that. . Problem or situation: Another employee is constantly interrupting you and cutting you off in conversation
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1. Define the problem in behavioral terms

 

-	employee talks over you

2. What could be the cause?

 

-	employee is unaware they're interrupting
-	employee is trying to assert their opinion
-	employee lacks respect for you

3. Could I be contributing?

 

-	do you take a long time to make a point and thus the employee is frustrated
-	are you allowing them to continue the behavior by not saying anything
-	are you not listening to the employee or have you also interrupted them
-	have you and the employee had a problem in the past that went unresolved and now there is animosity between you

4. How should I respond?

 

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Tell the employee that you do not appreciate being cut off. Provide specific examples of when they did it. Ask them to listen to you before responding and you'll do the same. If the problem continues call them on it immediately when t happens. This includes a group setting where their behavior will be most obvious.

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	Scenario: You're in a team meeting when your manager announces that Wanda brought to her attention an idea for expanding your product line. You're stunned because that was your idea. Wanda was there when you shared it with your team but it was clearly your suggestion. . Problem or situation: A coworker takes credit for work that you did
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1. Define the problem in behavioral terms

 

-	employee purposefully tells your manager or others that they were responsible for work they didn't do

2. What could be the cause?

 

-	employee seeks recognition / reward for the accomplishment (praise and/or monetary)

3. Could I be contributing?

 

-	have you allowed the employee to do this in the past and get away with it
-	are you not spending reasonable effort laying claim to your own accomplishments (it's okay to do so)

4. How should I respond?

 

Tell the employee in private that you do not appreciate them taking credit for work you did. Give them specific examples since their first reaction will probably be a defensive one. Tell them that you expect the matter to be cleared up with your manager and that you'll give them a chance to do that. Explain that you hope you can continue working together going forward.

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	Scenario: Wendle, your manager is hawking over you as usual commenting on how you should do your work. He leaves but ten minutes later he's at it again asking if you considered this and that. It's impossible to get work done when he does that. . Problem or situation:
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1. Define the problem in behavioral terms

 

-	Your manager is making it difficult to get work done because they are constantly talking, calling or otherwise interrupting your work. Micro-management includes spending time going into unnecessary detail on how to do your job or requiring you to check with them on decisions you could make.

2. What could be the cause?

 

-	manager is unaware that you are capable of doing the work on your own
-	manager uses the same style with all employees

3. Could I be contributing?

 

-	have you reinforced the behavior by allowing it to continue
-	do you seek your managers advice on more work than you realize which reinforces their inclination to over-manage you
-	have you failed to provide your manager with all necessary updates so they need to come to you for information

4. How should I respond?

 

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Tell your manager you're having difficulty getting work done because of the interruptions. Give examples and clearly explain the impact. Suggest an assignment where you can demonstrate your ability to work independently. Draw attention to the fact that will help you be more productive and will save your manager time.

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So what do you think? Will this model work for you next time you have a problem? Try it! Also, be aware of your typical style of interpersonal problem-solving as that will have an impact on the response you choose.

Consider reviewing the module on Managing Conflict as it provides some guidelines on when you should escalate an issue to your manager.

As mentioned earlier, most managers would jump at the chance to hire an employee that can take problem-solving into their own hands so less "static" gets escalated to them. Develop this skill and you'll quickly be recognized as the go-to person in your area.
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Exercise: My Personal Problem Solving Profile

Everyone has a predominant style for handling difficult situations and conflict at work. Being aware of yours will help do that more effectively. Try this assessment.

 

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