LeadershipDevelopment Archives

The Scary Specialist – Type 1

Ever worked with someone who gets results, but people keep leaving because of them?

This video looks at the Scary Specialist: the expert whose constant criticism and blunt honesty drive capable people out of the organisation.

In this video, I explore:

How their relentless criticism creates fear and silence
Why good people stop speaking up, disengage, or leave
The hidden cost of “brilliant but brutal” behaviour
What leaders must confront when expertise comes with a human price

Scary Specialists care deeply about standards. The irony is that their behaviour often destroys the very competency they value most!

For more on how to turn challenging dynamics into great working relationships, look out for my book The 9 Types of Difficult People, follow me here, or get in touch for more coaching and support.

Business Book of the Month Webinar

I was recently interviewed by my publishers Pearson for their Business Book of the Month webinar on LinkedIn.

We talked about my book, The 9 Types of Difficult People at work and had a great Q& A session. I presented some of the most important themes from the book, including:

How to get your headspace right place for dealing with a difficult person at work
What it costs the business if you do nothing
Why people become difficult at work
Tools and strategies for dealing with them with constructively, effectively, and compassionately.

Click the play button to watch the video of our webinar.

How to Stop Being a People-Pleaser at Work – My Book in Stylist Magazine

More great coverage of The 9 Types of Difficult People in the press, including this super article in Stylist Magazine on How to Stop Being a People-Pleaser at Work

Here’s some of the highlights from the article, which I’ve linked in full below.

🔍 Acknowledging the Issue
Realising that being a people-pleaser can hinder your professional growth in quite a few different negative ways.

📝 Preparing for Difficult Conversations
Techniques for handling those necessary but challenging conversations effectively.

🚫 The Art of Saying ‘No’
Strategies to assert your needs and priorities without adding to the conflict, so enabling healthier workplace dynamics.

💪 Reclaiming Your Power
Emphasising the importance of authentic communication and setting boundaries for personal and professional development.

Click here for the full article in Stylist Magazine.

Why People Become Difficult at Work

Ever experienced someone being really difficult to get on with at work, and wondered WHY?

There are four key reasons:

Unconscious Reactions to Stress
They’re reacting to what’s going in inside the organisation and its operating environment (and it’s likely there are things beyond their control that the organisation itself needs to fix)
Positive Intentions
They’re trying to achieve something but are having the wrong impact
Self-Doubts and Self-Sabotage
Their own thought-processes are piling on more pressure and more rigidity in how they behave
Inflexible Approaches
They’re not switching the focus of their intentions to suit the people and circumstances around them.

When things aren’t going smoothly, if we can understand what’s behind the way someone behaves at work, it makes it much easier to help them and others to get along well together.

There’s still a lot to do, and it’s important not to jump to blaming or shaming. But understanding Why can be a crucial first step.

To discover more practical tips and strategies for dealing with a difficult person and quickly improving workplace relationships, please check-out my book The 9 Types of Difficult People or explore more of the articles and resources on this website.

My Book in Stylist Magazine: 9 types of difficult people you’ll come across at work

Very pleased to see that we’re getting some great coverage of The 9 Types of Difficult People!

The latest to appear is an article in Stylist Magazine, which bills itself as:

“… the UK’s leading media brand for professional women; talking to 5 million UK women a month and making up 40% of the women’s lifestyle sector.”

I like this article because it gives a good overview of each of the 9 types of difficult people at work. And it features really practical hints and tips to turn things around and create great working relationships for everybody.

Here’s the link to the full article in the magazine:

➽ There are 9 types of difficult people you’ll come across at work – here’s how to deal with each

Maximising the Impact: How to Use ‘The Nine Types of Difficult People’ Effectively 📘

Improving workplace relationships can be tricky, especially when dealing with challenging personalities!

My book, ‘The Nine Types of Difficult People‘, is designed to be your guide through this maze. But how can you get the most out of it?

Here are some tips:

🔍 Understand the Layout

Chapter Two is Your Starting Point: It sets the foundation for the rest of the book. Start here to quickly understand my overall approach and how to apply it.
The Matrix of Difficult People: Took a look at this tool in the early chapters. It’s crucial for identifying and understanding the different types you might encounter.

🤔 Reflect on Your Situation

Identify Your Difficult Person: Use the matrix and descriptions to help pinpoint the type of difficult person you’re dealing with.
Context Matters: Consider your role in relation to the difficult person – are you their leader, colleague, or team member?

📝 Apply the Strategies

Tailored Approaches: Improving relationships works best with the right strategy. Find the chapter that corresponds to your identified type and explore that.
Practical Tips and Tactics: Implement the suggested strategies in your day-to-day interactions.

🔄 Iterate and Adapt

Not a One-Time Read: Your first pass through the book is great beginning and often leads to some useful quick-wins. Return to the relevant sections as your situation evolves.
Stay Flexible: Be prepared to adjust your approach as you learn more about the individual and the dynamics involved.

🔗 Connect the Dots

Beyond the Individual: Use the insights from the book to enhance the overall team dynamics and culture in your workplace.
Share Your Learnings: Discuss concepts from the book with colleagues to help build a more understanding, collaborative and effective working environment.

Dealing with difficult people is both a mindset and a skillset that can be easily developed. My book is here to guide you, and the real change happens through your application of these strategies in the real world.

Let’s make work a place where everyone can be at their best!

Beyond the Monster Myth: Unraveling the Mystery of Difficult Leaders

The more people I spoke to about this leader, the more worried I got:

🔴 “Extremely difficult, scary and obstructive!”

🔴 “The department is haemorrhaging staff and managers.”

🔴 “Every time we try to change something, he blocks it!”

🔴 “You are literally our last attempt before we look at dismissal.”

By the time our first coaching session came around I was expecting to meet something of a monster.

But what I found was very different.

It seemed to me that here was a baffled and bewildered person. Someone in a demanding role, in challenging and shifting circumstances, trying their best to get good outcomes for their department’s clients. In the only way that they knew how.

As well as a slight concern that I was being played by this person, I left with lots of questions. How could there possibly be such a massive gap between what I thought – and the hugely negative experiences that other people were having? In the end, we coached together for six months and created some very positive change.

I got so curious about what was going on to create this kind of situation to start with that I ended up writing my first full-length book about it – The Nine Types of Difficult People.

If you’ve ever wondered how it could easier to help a difficult person themselves, or how the people around them can deal with what’s going on as quickly and effectively as possible, please check out the links below to discover more about the book and look around this website for other resources.

Grab yourself a copy at any good bookshop or online using these links:

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1292726067

WH Smiths:
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-9-types-of-difficult-people-how-to-spot-them-and-quickly-improve-working-relationships/nick-robinson/paperback/9781292726069.html

Waterstones:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-9-types-of-difficult-people-how-to-spot-them-and-quickly-improve-working-relationships/nick-robinson/9781292726069

Crumbs! I’ve only gone and had a book published …

Even though it’s been a massive part of my work for years now, deciding to write a book about how to deal with *difficult people* wasn’t easy.

My take is that almost everybody we find difficult is someone trying to do their best, in a situation they find very challenging, in what is often the only way they know how. So if you want to make a difference in that situation it has to involve a lot of soft compassion 𝒂𝒏𝒅 hard constructive challenge.

And that’s why I was so grateful to win the support of my agent Kizzy Thomson, editor Eloise Cook and the rest of the fantastic team at Pearson, who all really got what the book was about and the approach it needed to take.

Thank you to supporters, pre-publication reviewers and everybody who helped me over the last three years of putting this together. Individual thanks and copies are heading out as soon as.

The presses are rolling and my hope now is that a copy of my book drops into the hands of someone who needs it just at the right time.

Grab yourself a copy at any good bookshop or online using these links:

Bookshops:

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1292726067

WH Smiths:
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-9-types-of-difficult-people-how-to-spot-them-and-quickly-improve-working-relationships/nick-robinson/paperback/9781292726069.html

Waterstones:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-9-types-of-difficult-people-how-to-spot-them-and-quickly-improve-working-relationships/nick-robinson/9781292726069

Research Highlight: The Impact of Coaching on Team Performance

Discover how coaching can transform your team! Recent research reveals it significantly boosts performance, productivity, and communication.

Some interesting academic research on the impact of coaching techniques on team performance.

I know I’m a convert, but the findings of this research really do make a strong argument for using coaching techniques to significantly boost a team’s productivity and satisfaction.

Here’s my summary and the link to the actual research study is at the end.

The study, conducted by Aldrin & Utama, revealed that the application of coaching techniques significantly improved team performance.

The team performance score (a composite measure of the quality of work, efficiency of task completion, and level of collaboration and communication within a team) was used to quantify this improvement.

Before the introduction of coaching, the average team performance score was 58.67. After coaching was implemented, the score rose to an impressive 68.53.

This shows the transformative power of coaching in a team setting, leading to:

higher quality work
improved efficiency, and
enhanced collaboration and communication.

Effective communication is a critical component of successful teamwork, and coaching techniques can help break down barriers, create a sense of belonging, and foster a deep empathic understanding among team members.

Coaching, as the study explains, is about building relationships that foster personal and professional growth. It’s a process that encourages individuals to find solutions to their problems through increased self-awareness, with the support of a coach.

In a team setting, coaching can help to:

streamline learning
improve job satisfaction
enhance interpersonal relationships, and
develop leadership and management skills.

Moreover, the study found that coaching techniques can enhance respect for others and provide solutions to problems.

However, it’s important to remember that the effectiveness of coaching techniques depends on their practical application in daily work.

I think that the findings of this study are a powerful reminder of the potential that lies within a teams. By implementing coaching techniques, you can unlock this potential, improving team performance and satisfaction, and driving success.

Click here to see the research paper itself.

What’s your experience been? Please use the ‘click to tweet box below, or just click here to tweet me .

How have you used coaching techniques to improve your team's performance and satisfaction at work? Share on X

Leadership Development Strategies for Success at Work: A Step-by-Step Guide

Unlock your leadership potential with my step-by-step guide. From self-assessment to continuous learning, discover my keys to your success at work.

Leadership development strategies are crucial for executive success.

They equip leaders with the necessary skills and knowledge to guide their teams effectively, drive organisational growth, and adapt to changing business landscapes.

Without leadership development, executives risk stagnation, decreased team performance, and ultimately, a decline in organisational success.

Here are the key steps to take

Step 1: Self-Assessment

Self-assessment is the foundation of leadership development.

It involves a critical evaluation of one’s strengths and weaknesses. This introspection helps identify areas for improvement.

An executive might use tools like 360-degree feedback or personality assessments to gain a comprehensive understanding of their leadership style and areas that need improvement.

Step 2: Setting Leadership Goals

Goal setting is a pivotal step and the GROW model is a good one to use when setting out on the developmental journey.

The GROW model involves setting a Goal, understanding the current Reality, exploring Options, and determining the Will to achieve the goal.

An executive aiming to improve their communication skills might set a specific goal to deliver clear and concise team briefings (Goal), acknowledge their current tendency to provide too much information (Reality), explore options like communication workshops or coaching (Options), and commit to practicing concise communication in daily meetings (Will).

Step 3: Seeking Feedback

Feedback is a valuable resource for leadership development.

It provides insights into how others perceive your leadership style and effectiveness. Constructive feedback can guide your development process.

An executive might implement a regular feedback system, such as anonymous surveys or open feedback sessions, to gain insights into their team’s perception of their leadership style and identify areas for improvement.

Step 4: Investigating Development Opportunities

Exploring leadership development opportunities supported by your organisation is crucial.

These programs, along with other opportunities like secondments and volunteering, provide practical leadership experience.

An executive might participate in a company-sponsored leadership workshop or seek a secondment opportunity in a different department, or even to a supplier or third-sector organisation, to gain a broader perspective and enhance their leadership skills.

Step 5: Raising Awareness of Others

Understanding others is a key aspect of emotional intelligence in leadership.

This involves recognizing others’ motivations and values, which can enhance team dynamics and effectiveness.

An executive might conduct regular one-on-one meetings with team members to better understand their motivations, career aspirations, and values, and then tailor their leadership approach to better align with these insights.

Step 6: Implementing Coaching and Mentoring

Coaching and mentoring play a significant role in leadership development.

These relationships provide personalized guidance and feedback, enhancing your leadership skills.

An executive might engage a professional coach to refine their communication skills, and also mentor a junior employee themselves. Which not only provides a fresh perspective but also helps in developing their leadership skills through teaching.

Step 7: Practising Leadership Skills

Practice is essential for honing leadership skills.

New skills and behaviours should be practised in a safe environment to encourage growth and development.

An executive might practice their decision-making skills by taking the lead in smaller projects before taking on larger, organisation-wide initiatives.

Step 8: Reflecting on Progress

Self-reflection can be an information-rich part of leadership development.

It involves reviewing your progress, learning from experiences, and making necessary adjustments.

After a major project, an executive might conduct a reflective session, analysing the project’s successes, challenges, and their personal performance, to identify lessons learned and plan for future improvements.

Step 9: Continuous Learning

Leadership development is a journey of continuous learning rather than a destination.

Staying updated with the latest leadership trends and theories can provide new insights and strategies.

An executive might commit to reading a new leadership book each month, subscribing to relevant industry podcasts, or attending annual leadership seminars to stay abreast of new developments in leadership theory.

The journey of leadership development is a continuous and rewarding process.

Each step you take not only brings you closer to becoming a more effective leader but also contributes to the success of your team and organisation.

The key to executive success lies in continuous learning, adaptation, and the courage to step out of your comfort zone. Embrace this journey with an open mind and a committed heart, and watch as you transform not just yourself, but your entire organisation.

Let me know what your top leadership development tips are? And what do you most want to learn about, as a leader? Share on X