Managing Difficult Interactions: Expert Solutions to Everyday Challenges

Book description

In the business world, confrontations are inevitable -- whether they're with your employees, peers, bosses, or even suppliers and customers. Ignored or handled badly, confrontations can damage workplace relationships and ruin careers.

This volume helps you master the art of effectively managing difficult interactions. You'll learn how to:
· Determine which confrontations are worth an investment of your time and energy
· Understand and manage the strong emotions that can arise during confrontations
· Design solutions that meet all stakeholders' needs
· Coach your direct reports to resolve confrontations productively

Table of contents

  1. Pocket Mentor Series
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Table of Contents
  5. Mentor’s Message: Why Learn How to Manage Difficult Interactions?
  6. Managing Difficult Interactions: The Basics
    1. What Are Difficult Interactions?
      1. Examples of difficult interactions
      2. Removing barriers to dealing with conflict
      3. Understanding that improvement is possible
    2. What Causes Difficult Interactions?
      1. Differences in positions and interests
      2. Differences in perceptions, motivations, and styles
      3. Differences in life experiences and cultural backgrounds
    3. Deciding Which Difficult Interactions to Address
      1. Determining whether you’re part of the problem
      2. Examining your motives
      3. Identifying important relationships
      4. Gauging the chances of improvement
    4. Step 1: Assessing the Facts
      1. Sharing perceptions of what’s going on
      2. Discovering intentions
      3. Acknowledging contributions to the problem
    5. Step 2: Addressing the Emotions
      1. Identifying your feelings
      2. Reframing destructive thoughts
      3. Expressing feelings productively
    6. Step 3: Managing Threats to Your Self-Image
      1. Understanding the threat
      2. Handling the threats
      3. Helping others handle self-image threats
    7. Step 4: Solving the Real Problem
      1. Framing the problem productively
      2. Sharing and listening
      3. Developing a plan for change
    8. Helping Your Employees Manage Difficult Interactions
      1. Deciding whether to intervene
      2. Facilitating resolution
      3. Coaching employees to improve their skills
  7. Tips and Tools
    1. Tools for Managing Difficult Interactions
      1. Test Yourself
      2. To Learn More
  8. Sources for Managing Difficult Interactions
  9. Notes
  10. How to Order

Product information

  • Title: Managing Difficult Interactions: Expert Solutions to Everyday Challenges
  • Author(s): Harvard Business School Press
  • Release date: October 2008
  • Publisher(s): Harvard Business Review Press
  • ISBN: 9781422125083