Get the Elephant Out of the Room: Outsmart Difficult People at Work

In this episode, Martin le Comte shares insights on leadership, giving and receiving feedback, something he calls "The F Word" and managing difficult people. We talk about our leadership errors, how you can avoid them and how to make people feel special.  Key Headlines Never negotiate on behaviour—address issues privately immediately. Know your people—understand their motivations and preferences....

In this episode, Scott from Inspiring Change shares insights on organisational culture, dealing with difficult people, and the importance of intentionality in leadership. Discover practical strategies to foster a strong, aligned culture and handle challenging behaviours effectively. Key Topics The importance of intentional culture in organisations How behaviors reflect and shape culture Dealing wi...

If you are passionate about developing people to their full potential this is an essential listen. Amazon through their culture, processes and programmes force out ego and politics and develop people. In this episode we hear one of their success stories.  Jenny Schumacher is a Director at Amazon after starting 14 years ago as an Executive Assistant. She did not believe her manager who kept telling...

We might not realise it, but when we are discussing plans and strategies with colleagues and customers we are trying to predict the future. People who have authority are people we trust to predict the future accurately    If you are trying to influence others, you need to build your credibility as someone with knowledge that others need to listen to .    In this episode I talk about how and why th...

If you have ever wanted to deliver a strategy that would truly change the performance of your business but were unsure how to start, this episode is for you. Andy Gibson tells us about how he completely transformed a business in Australia. He expanded the category, stopped selling units, started selling fridges and turned a ready-to-drink spirit into a phenomenon.  He challenged perception, built...

Challenging situations are easy to avoid because we can deflect them to other people. But the people we really admire and the moments we are truly proud of are the ones who take personal accountability for doing hard things.  In this episode I talk about what is required to take personal accountability for tough moments and share some lessons we have heard from previous guests.  More About Chris W...

Great salespeople turn doubters into advocates. In this episode, we learn how it can be done under incredibly challenging circumstances. How can you build trust with a customer who thinks you are exploiting them over price because they have no other options?  That is what Anthony Carter was able to do, despite being unable to cut the price.  He was faced with an angry customer, desperate to get a...

How can you build powerful partnerships and drive loyalty in markets where prices should dominate? Michael Lange is a Sales Leader who has excelled in selling commodities for decades.  How? He finds value based on true needs, not just costs. Then he is relentless in ensuring his teams deliver excellence.  In this episode he shares his insights, wisdom and experience in sales and lets us in on the...

How to cope when a colleague shouts at you and becomes parental!  In this episode I talk to Mary Gregory who shares her experience from the past.  The lesson is that timing matters, but also that you need to respond with intention, not emotionally.  The patience to allow them to vent and to allow them to exhaust the emotion is a great start. It is important to let them feel heard, but not to allow...

Paula Tully is dedicated to creating leaders with intention, but her journey of success is an inspiring one littered with grit and vision. In this episode we discuss the 6 “C’s” that form the heart of her coaching, but we delve into some of the toughest times in her life and share how Paula’s grit and optimism fuelled her through some very tough moments and set her on the path to today. Now she sh...

Performance Management. Every leader's responsibility, but not everyone can retain difficult people. Most destroy the motivation of the whole team and their own reputation by mishandling sensitive conversations.  In this episode, I talk to Jose Aguilar about his experiences living and working in different cultures and how he managed a very difficult conversation with a team member who was no longe...

We invited an audience to join us at The Orchard for the launch of my book. In this episode, listen to an exclusive reading of an extract and hear an interview with me, Chris, talking about writing the book and answering audience questions about difficult people at work.  ----more---- Buy my book - Get the Elephant Out of the Room. Outsmart Difficult People at Work I share my experiences and insig...

Early promotion in a career is not always a blessing. When you are young, self-doubt creeps in, and you have to deal with difficult conversations with colleagues and team members.  In this honest conversation, Helen shares her lessons, and we discuss imposter syndrome, trust, self-confidence and courage.  ----more---- Buy my book - Get the Elephant Out of the Room. Outsmart Difficult People at Wor...

    In this special episode I invited an especially chosen panel to discuss the challenges of excellence in digital sales and marketing.   We explore what brands get wrong when trying to sell direct to consumers, we discuss the value of third party sellers and retail partners and we offer our advice for executives debating the importance of digital channels in their growth plans. Panel members: Ia...

With AI knowledge loses value and we instead need people who are incredible collaborators, can solve problems and influence.    Unless we educate them we will not get them, but as the value of hourly charging reduces we have the chance to build magnificent development apprenticeship schemes.    In this episode I explan why we need to avoid becoming difficult people blocking the learning we need fo...

There are 7 unspoken rules of society that we follow. When we break them we create an emotional reaction. In this episode I explore how they might affect business partnerships and the implications for customer relationships and internal partnerships.   ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Chris on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you have to deal with difficult people at work then you should subscribe to my newsletter.    Eve...

How can you deal with people who just want to argue during meetings, constantly challenge, complain and act negatively?   We all know them, they are never satisfied with anything and they destroy meeting flow.   But they are also valuable – knowledgeable and experienced. In this episode I explore their personality and share ideas on how to create boundaries, leverage their strengths and protect te...

What if your Manager is the Barrier to Change.   Companies struggle with change, but what if it is the manager who is the barrier and the team want to change?   In this episode I explore some of the barriers that leaders might have to change and how you can communicate differently to be more influential.   ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Chris on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you have to deal with difficult people at...

It seems the dream, to be left alone by the manager. But it isn’t. It feels lonely and there are fears of rejection and insecurity.     In this episode I share why it happens, how it feels and how you can make sure you get on the agenda and feel valued.    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Chris on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you have to deal with difficult people at work then you should subscribe to my newsletter.  Eve...

How do you get the best work from someone who no longer seems motivated or interested?    Are you losing the best of your team because they are not motivated by money or bonus?   In this episode I share what picked me up when I felt demotivated and explore some ideas that might help you engage people who are currently drifting along ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Chris on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you have to deal w...

Disrespect, frustration, and rejection are all results of attending meetings and then not being heard or given the chance to participate.    In this episode I explore why meetings can exclude certain people and what you can do about it so that your voice is heard and you are given the respect you deserve.    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Chris on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you have to deal with difficult people at wor...

Long email chains slow decision making and complicate life enormously, so why do people insist on email instead of talking?   Fear.    In this episode, I unpick some reasons they use to justify it and offer advice for managers and colleagues who want to create an action-oriented and supportive culture.    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Chris on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you have to deal with difficult people at work the...

Illogical people can drive us crazy, why might they suggest such things? Why can’t they listen to what I say? Why don’t they accept the facts?    These questions create so much tension in our business and with our customers.    In this episode I explore logic, decision making and help you to understand how these illogical people are thinking so that you can make some choices about how to succeed. ...

We recorded this special episode with an expert panel live at The Orchard in London. The question we debated was : How to deal with a staff member who is disengaged and unmotivated after returning from parental leave. We explored why they are disengaged, whose problem is it, who should help, how the organisation should welcome people back and is it culturally outdated to expect people to be highly...

Are you frustrated by office gossip? Do you have to deal with rumours and leaked information undermining your team culture?  Gossip is not always toxic, it plays an important role in social connections. In this episode I explore the challenges of office gossip, explain how it is a positive part of culture and share some ideas on how you can own the narrative about you and avoid leaks and speculati...