Coaching for a
Difficult Person at Work
A FLEXIBLE, STRUCTURED PROGRAMME OF
ONE-TO-ONE EXECUTIVE COACHING
This programme provides friendly, fearless and effective development support for someone who has become too difficult at work. It can be commissioned by leaders or Human Resources professionals on behalf of colleagues.
We all face challenges at work that can sometimes escalate into a real rough patch. And occasionally this leads to someone becoming much too difficult to tolerate, impacting both outcomes and team dynamics.
This coaching support provides a flexible, structured, and positive approach to dealing with the situation. It balances the needs of the organisation, the individual involved, and those around them. Starting this programme is the first crucial step towards improving working relationships.
Expertise You Can Trust
With years of experience in executive coaching and as the author of the book ‘The Nine Types of Difficult People: How to Spot Them and Quickly Improve Working Relationships’ (published by Pearson in Autumn 2023), I bring a depth of expertise. My approach is rooted in proven methodologies and my own research, ensuring that both the individual and your organisation benefit from sustainable improvements.
Nuanced and No-Nonsense Approach
Dealing with difficult people at work is a complex challenge. And methods like performance management can sometimes seem too cumbersome, especially for people in senior roles. This programme offers a practical and nuanced developmental approach as a first step, to increase flexibility and overcome barriers to effective teamwork.
Understanding the Individual
A ‘difficult person’ is almost always somebody trying very hard to do what they think is right, in the only way they know. They don’t always recognise their impact, understand what’s driving their behaviour, or know what to do about it. My coaching will both safely challenge and champion the individual, equipping them with new strategies for getting results and working well with a wider range of people.
People become difficult in various ways, depending on their stress reactions and ingrained habits. Whether we’re dealing with a “snarling tiger” or an “immovable rock”, this programme uses versatile strategies to address all types of difficult behaviour.
This programme supports managers and leaders who can sometimes avoid dealing with difficult people because they’re worried about making things worse or don’t know how to make a positive difference.
People don’t leave jobs; they leave bad managers. Address the issue of a difficult individual before it leads to a mass exodus or “quiet-quitting” among team members.
Stop the disruptions and stress that a difficult individual can create, safeguarding against productivity lapses, absenteeism, and a toxic atmosphere. So that your team can focus on their work without undesirable distractions.
Employers are trying very hard to juggle the needs of the organisation, of the team, and of the difficult person. This programme offers you an ethical and responsible option to help achieve that balance.
Transform a difficult individual back into a valuable resource and supportive colleague. So that work is a place where people can come together to achieve things that can only be done as an effective team.
To discover more about supporting a difficult person at work, please schedule a no-obligations, totally confidential chat.
I’m a Certified Professional Coach with hard- and soft-skills qualifications, over twenty years’ experience in executive coaching, and experience of my own in large and small organisations up to and including board-level.
I know what it takes to help people who are being experienced as difficult at work. I’ve done this as a leader myself and managed the process in a large organisation. I’ve chaired performance management committees and employee appeal panels in other organisations.
More recently, I’ve dedicated a large part of my coaching practice to it and published my book, The Nine Types of Difficult People with Pearson in 2023.
Nick was my executive coach and has been absolutely outstanding. I could not give him higher recommendation. I’ve had many coaches during my career and Nick particularly helped me through some stormy times and has kept me as a value adding effective senior Director whilst helping me personally.
Nick has been a fantastic coach to me and my business is showing the results. I genuinely believe that the business would have been ripped apart if was not for the skills and capabilities that Nick models and follows so masterfully.
To discover more about supporting a difficult person at work, please schedule a no-obligations, totally confidential chat.