Dealing with difficult people

ISBTV Mark McPherson

It is a fact of life that not everyone we come across in business is a delightful character. At some point in time we’re going to encounter difficult people. Some don’t pull their weight at work, others cause a toxic atmosphere in the workplace. How do we get these colleagues to do the right thing and reduce the negative impact they have on the rest of the team?

This is a tricky topic, so we have enlisted the help of an expert. Mark McPherson focuses on behaviour, communication and performance, helping business owners create a harmonious, positive environment that facilitates the enterprise being as successful as it can possibly be.

Mark advises how to deal with difficult people effectively, efficiently and – most importantly – ethically. He has identified a total of 52 different types of “difficult” person, in this video he identifies some of the most common – haven’t we all encountered a back-stabber, a put-down merchant and an agreement-breaker at various times on our careers? – and equips us with strategies to change their behaviour in a non-confrontational way.

If you have insights you’d like to share with small-business owners and would like to contribute a video for ISB TV please email [email protected].