Tough Conversations: Simple strategies for communicating with difficult people and in awkward situations

Every now and again, you meet a seemingly “impossible” person, have to work with someone everyone finds difficult, or find yourself in a surprisingly awkward situation. It happens to everyone, at work, at home and in the community.

Wherever those conversations take place, they often bring anxiety, fear, anger, or a great desire to run in the opposite direction. And, in most cases, running is neither wise nor possible, if you want the relationship to improve, or you want to keep your job!

You need to feel competent, comfortable and confident when difficulties arise. So, because running away is not an option, you’ll get some new insights, skills and strategies to help you get the outcomes you want when dealing with difficult people, awkward topics, or challenging confrontations in this one-hour CD with Rhoberta Shaler, PhD, Doctor for Work, and author of Wrestling Rhinos: Conquering Conflict in the Wilds of Work.

You’ll learn how to:

• Recognize the five types of behavior, and know your best next steps with each.
• Know when to hold and when to fold: when to speak up and when to let things go
• Clarify, express and maintain appropriate boundaries
• Manage your responses when anger, demands or irrationality prevail
• Use Dr. Shaler’s proven Seven Step Strategy for effective “problem-solving” conversations

It’s within your power when it’s within your skill set. This hour could positively shift your feelings of competence, comfort and confidence when dealing with difficult people!

Presented By:

Rhoberta Shaler, PhD

Founder, Optimize Institute & Center, San Diego, CA

Author: Wrestling Rhinos: Conquering Conflict in the Wilds of Work

When you recognize that you’re more exhausted by the people you work with than the work you are doing, you’re probably wrestling rhinos. That’s when even the US Marines called Rhoberta Shaler, PhD, the author of Wrestling Rhinos: Conquering Conflict in the Wilds of Work.

Progressive leaders want a practical, reliable demonstration of interpersonal skills. Just learning about them is not enough. They engage Dr. Shaler to optimize the communication, conflict management and negotiation skills that build stable, resilient, profitable teams. Finding resolutions to difficult people problems is the focus of her speaking, executive coaching and mediating.

When you don’t want to lose valuable talent even though their behavior is crazy-making, Dr. Shaler can help. With a PhD in psychology and extensive post-graduate studies at the renowned Justice Institute of British Columbia , Dr. Shaler developed the concepts and solutions in Wrestling Rhinos. Whether in pro-active consultation or in problem-solving facilitation, she leads clients to optimize their unique team dynamics in this culturally-diverse global economy. Companies that do not do so will falter, fail or fall short. She propels her clients—leaders, partners, staffs, and teams–to demonstrate the progressive people management required of business leaders on the forefront today.

Dr. Shaler teaches Collaborative Negotiation in the Executive MBA program of the Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas. A well-known problem-solver, Dr. Shaler has been engaged by leaders in diverse companies and organizations such as the US Navy, S.B. Restaurant Company, TransCanada Pipelines, State Farm Insurance, University of Western Washington, Association of Administrative Professionals and Costco Wholesale.

If you’re wrestling with rhinos, it’s time to stop! When you need to know how, read Wrestling Rhinos: Conquering Conflict in the Wilds of Work. When you know you need a rhino doctor, you can contact Dr. Rhoberta Shaler at DoctorForWork.com.