It seems speaking up is (finally) getting the traction it deserves. Whether it’s calling out sexist behaviour or airing a systemic wrong that has flourished unchecked for years, plain speaking is definitely having a moment. Julia Banks’ high-profile defection to the federal parliament crossbench a few days ago, and her eloquent speech about bullying in the Liberal ranks in […]
5 strategies for dealing with a manipulative co-worker
Manipulators in everyday life are not necessarily bad people. You might admire or even love a manipulator (they are frequently found in family contexts), but feel tormented by their constant conniving. I’ve dealt with a variety of difficult people over recent weeks, like the needy, controlling and aggressive, or the disrespectful, moody and procrastination-prone, but for many of […]
Needy, controlling and aggressive: How to handle three types of difficult people
What a hot topic. Everyone seems to be handling a difficult person — whether it is a staff member, team colleague, customer or their manager. Or they have a difficult person in their personal lives. Certain types of difficult people affect us more than others. For example: Angry, aggressive, abusive, bullying; Moody, tired, depressed, teary; Uncommitted, unmotivated, […]
How do I manage the blamers and complainers?
The old saying “never complain, never explain” could be changed to “never blame, never complain”, but would people ever do this? Of course not. Blaming and complaining causes stress We all do our best, but standards and expectations vary. It often boils down to the fact that while people might share a common language, there are codes, […]
How do you confront annoying co-workers?
Have you ever been confronted by a co-worker about your annoying behaviour? Are you considered an annoying co-worker? Do you change your ways? A recent survey of 2,000 American workers showed that when asked “Have you ever been aware that you’re annoying a co-worker, but done it anyway?”, an astounding 24% said ‘yes’. These people were most likely to […]
Changing jobs because of annoying workers
We know managers can be so upsetting for some that workers leave and find new jobs. But what about co-workers? Have annoying workers led you to change jobs? The latest research of 2000 American workers by Olivet Nazarene University claims to have uncovered the truth about annoying workers. Thirty-six percent of people said yes – […]
Terminating contractors: an opportunity to manage the process professionally
Setbacks can make or break a small business or contractor. The key to survival is to move through the bad phase as effectively as possible and finding the right mantra so you don’t crack when facing a sudden hurdle. Here’s an example: Jules, a small Australian business owner, has been a contractor to a successful US […]
How your business can recover from reputation damage
The “walk of shame” that teens like to snigger about has a whole new meaning these days, especially when applied to companies and organisations recovering from reputation damage. Acknowledgement and admissions I recently described an email United Airlines sent to me (and many others) apologising for its brutal bumping of a customer from a Chicago flight. As […]
Actions speak louder than words
I often travel to the US, and was interested to receive an email from the chief executive of United Airlines, Oscar Munoz. His email profusely apologised for the way armed officers forcibly dragged a passenger off one of his company’s planes in Chicago recently. The share price of United Airlines reportedly dropped by $1.4 billion after the […]