Kris Plachy, Founder and CEO of Leadership Coach and host of the How to Lead podcast, shares her expertise on managing difficult employees. She emphasizes the importance of addressing specific behaviors instead of labeling individuals, which can lead to misinterpretations. Kris also discusses the anxiety that often accompanies confrontations and suggests starting these discussions by highlighting the behavior's impact. By fostering open communication and accountability, managers can transform team dynamics and promote a healthier work environment.
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Separate Labels from Behaviors
We often label difficult people by assigning vague traits instead of focusing on specific behaviors.
Understanding behaviors separately from labels helps clarify what is truly challenging.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Address Behaviors, Not Labels
Describe the specific behaviors observed instead of labeling someone as rude or difficult.
Let the person identify and explain their behavior to avoid defensiveness and gain insight.
insights INSIGHT
Avoid Misinterpreting Behaviors
We often misinterpret others' behavior by imposing our own assumptions, which leads to conflict.
Checking in to understand someone's perspective can reveal underlying intentions and avoid misunderstandings.
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It's no fun to work with difficult people. As a manager, it's your responsibility to deal with difficult people and disruptive behaviors head on. It's not always easy, but it doesn't need to be complicated or anxiety-producing.
This week I speak with Kris Plachy, Founder and CEO of Leadership Coach and host of How to Lead podcast. Kris and I discuss proven approaches to dealing with difficult people and how to hold them accountable to change.
Join the Modern Manager community to get Kris's free course on how to have difficult conversation and for additional resources to support your learning journey.
We have behaviors that get interpreted and lead to labels. Instead of labeling a person as rude, describe the behavior which makes you feel they are acting rude.
Sometimes we misinterpret behaviors because we make assumptions about what a behavior means.
It often feels hard to confront someone because we inherently don't want to hurt someone's feelings.
If you think someone is difficult, it colors your perspective and you anticipate the person to always be difficult.
We each interpret and make meaning of a behavior differently. Sometimes people need to be aware that others are perceiving the behavior as disruptive.
When confronting someone, start by identifying the behavior and the impact on me, the team, the organization. Then let the person respond and be heard. Then state the expectation and what will happen if they don't change their behavior.
Holding people accountable for behaviors and work results are the same. You must have set, clear expectations for what behaviors are expected. You also need a consistent practice for feedback.
The Modern Manager