Good - Managing difficult interactions

Advisor's message

Why learn how to manage difficult interactions?

In everyday life, in the workplace, with your boss, your coworkers, your employees, and even your customers and suppliers, one of the most unpleasant surprises is the awkwardness of talking. Just as we want to avoid these difficult interactions, we also want to avoid other uncomfortable ones. Why do we want to avoid them? Difficult interactions only fuel negative emotions like burnout, frustration, and anger. In those moments, our needs for safety, understanding, empowerment, and more often than not, are not met. But if we ignore these things, things can get worse. Unintended consequences

Aggression, hurt feelings, and key characteristics of confrontation can drain your energy, reduce team productivity, and even damage workplace relationships.

Misunderstandings and conflicts are part of the fabric of human interaction. The situations involved are opportunities for players to work together with themselves and others in a collaborative fashion.

There is a possibility that a permanent shift in interpersonal interactions can be made more intense. Even a relationship can become stronger in the process. This may seem like a pipe dream. After all, we are all social creatures. We just want to live long and well. When we are in touch with higher consciousness, we want to help other people. That's right. We really do.

Learning to navigate your way through difficult interactions takes some self-awareness and skill. It also takes courage. You have to practice finding connections through conflict while building on the good in your conversations. This book shows you how to practice that.

In the following pages, you will discover the causes of difficult interactions. We will also show you how to overcome the barriers that many managers face in dealing with them. You will learn practical techniques for managing the emotions that often arise in difficult interactions, to identify the conflicts that deserve your attention, and to identify what is really going on in difficult interactions. The following chapters will help you develop strategies for resolving the underlying issues and for mediating differences among your employees.

I hope you find something useful in this book. Good luck with your exploration.

Advisor: Barry Rosen

Barry Rosin is the past president of Interaction Associates (IA). He is responsible for the development of many IAs. He is the author of IA's best-selling training programs, including the Leadership and Essentials of Leadership. Mr. Rosin has been training leaders and consultants in team work and collaboration skills since 1980. 8601ê: po copiosullo "Interaction Associates. Inc."

An enterprise performance improvement firm, IA equips clients with collaborative strategies to understand opportunities and solve problems. Since 1969, IA has helped global leaders, Fortune 100 companies, and government agencies overcome their toughest collaborative challenges.

Managing difficult interactions

In everyday life, in the workplace, with your boss, your coworkers, your employees, and even your customers and suppliers, one of the most uncomfortable things you can encounter is a difficult conversation. Just as we want to avoid these difficult interactions, we want to avoid other uncomfortable ones. Why do we want to avoid them? Difficult interactions only fuel negative emotions like resentment, anger, and frustration. In those moments, our needs for safety, understanding, empowerment, and more often than not, are not met. But if we ignore these things, things can get worse. Unintentional aggression, hurt feelings, and confrontation are key characteristics that can drain your energy and reduce your team’s productivity, which can also damage your relationships at work.

Misunderstandings and conflicts are part of the fabric of human interaction.

Learning to navigate your way through difficult interactions takes some self-awareness and skill. It also takes courage. You have to practice finding connections through conflict while also preparing for the good in your conversations. This book shows you how to practice that.