Communicating with Difficult People: Communicating with Your Manager

Audience

Employees who want to meet the challenge of communicating with a difficult manager.

Objective

• Apply steps to distinguish between difficult behavior and periodic irritability.
• Recognize the characteristics of the four types of difficult personalities.
• Identify proper guidelines to interact with each difficult personality type.
• Select proper steps when reacting to a manager's angry outbursts.
• Apply guidelines to earn a difficult manager's trust.
• Recognize guidelines to communicate with a deceitful manager.
• Identify appropriate times to request help from another superior.

Topics Include

Unit 1: Identifying a Difficult Manager

• Select causes of difficult behavior.
• Apply steps to distinguish between difficult behavior and periodic irritability.
• Recognize the characteristics of the four types of difficult personalities.
• Simulation Overview:
• In this simulation you are Icon's Human Resource Manager and need to investigate an incident between a manager Robert Bailey and one of his employees Susan Darnell. During the encounter Robert yelled and made abusive comments to Susan. Robert has already acknowledged that the incident happened and has been reprimanded. However you need to find out whether this was an isolated incident or an example of recurring behavior. You will begin by meeting with Terrence Martin another of Robert's employees. If needed you will then meet with other employees to determine whether Robert is exhibiting difficult behavior or periodic irritability.

Unit 2: Interacting with a Difficult Manager

• Identify options for coping with a difficult manager.
• Identify proper guidelines to interact with each difficult personality type.
• Select proper steps when reacting to a manager's angry outbursts.
• React appropriately to a manager's angry outbursts.
• Apply guidelines to earn a difficult manager's trust.
• Simulation Overview:
• In this simulation you are Icon's Financial Analyst and will meet with Lance Helms the Director of Finance. When Lance took vacation time the previous day the Chief Financial Officer called you to his office to discuss a few issues regarding depreciation data for next year. The CFO needed information quickly to prepare for meeting with tax accountants later in the afternoon. While it was not unusual for the CFO to meet with you the conversation normally would have included Lance since he becomes upset when his staff members meet with the CFO without him. Lance has asked to meet with you to review your meeting with the CFO. You need to follow appropriate guidelines to establish trust and if necessary to deal with angry outbursts.

Unit 3: Confronting Difficult Behavior

• Identify important elements to consider before confronting a difficult manager.
• Apply the appropriate steps to provide unsolicited proposals.
• Recognize guidelines to communicate with a deceitful manager.
• Identify appropriate times to request help from another superior.
• Simulation Overview:
• In this simulation you will meet with your supervisor Maggie Roberts Icon's Communications Manager. As a Communications Specialist you believe you have too much work and that Maggie is giving you projects that are not a priority. Recently Maggie has become very upset and berated you for not completing these assignments on time. You have requested this meeting with Maggie to confront her about her difficult behavior in order to improve your work situation. Maggie's recent actions and behavior have caused you to doubt her honesty so when necessary you should apply the appropriate guidelines for communicating with a deceitful manager.

Duration

4

Minimum Requirements

The CDROM version of this course requires:

• At least a 486DX 33Mhz CPU.
• Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher and a Microsoft compatible mouse.
• At least 8MB RAM.
• At least VGA graphics capability with a minimum 512K video RAM (1MB video RAM recommended).
• At least a double speed CDROM drive.
• An MPC compliant sound card with attached speakers or headphones is recommended (Currently only the CDROM version supports audio).

• At least a 486DX 33Mhz CPU.
• Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher and a Microsoft compatible mouse.
• At least 8MB RAM and 22MB available hard disk space or file server space.
• At least VGA graphics capability with a minimum 512K video RAM (1MB video RAM recommended).

Media