Dealing with Difficult Behaviours Training

Dealing with Difficult Behaviours Training

You know that moment when someone storms into your office, clearly upset about something, and you're not sure if they're angry at you, the situation, or just having a really bad day? Or when that one colleague always seems to push back on every suggestion, leaving you wondering if it's personal or if there's something else going on. We've all been there, and honestly, it's one of the trickiest parts of working with people.

Here's the thing - difficult behaviours rarely come out of nowhere. There's usually something underneath that's driving the reaction, whether it's stress, feeling unheard, personal challenges, or simply different communication styles clashing. The good news is that once you understand what's really happening, you can respond in ways that actually help rather than escalate the situation.

This training isn't about trying to change people or becoming a workplace therapist. It's about giving you practical tools to navigate these challenging interactions with confidence. You'll learn how to stay calm when someone's pushing your buttons, how to redirect conversations that are going off the rails, and most importantly, how to address the underlying issues rather than just the surface behaviour.

We'll work through real scenarios you've probably encountered: the colleague who always says no, the team member who gets defensive at feedback, the person who seems to take everything personally, and yes, even dealing with genuinely hostile behaviour. You'll practice techniques that actually work in the moment, not just theories that sound good on paper.

The reality is that difficult behaviours often stem from workplace stress and anxiety. Learning to manage workplace anxiety - both your own and understanding it in others - is crucial for creating better working relationships.

Location: Adelaide

What You'll Learn

You'll walk away knowing how to read the warning signs before a situation escalates and how to use your tone, body language, and words to de-escalate tension. We'll cover how to set clear boundaries without coming across as harsh, and how to have those tough conversations that need to happen but everyone's been avoiding.

You'll also learn when to involve a manager or HR, and how to document incidents properly if things don't improve. Plus, we'll tackle the emotional side - how to not take difficult behaviour personally and how to protect your own wellbeing while still being professional and helpful.

We'll spend time on understanding different personality types and communication styles, because sometimes what looks like difficult behaviour is just someone operating differently than you do. You'll learn to adapt your approach based on what you're dealing with, whether it's someone who needs more structure, someone who feels overwhelmed, or someone who's genuinely being unreasonable.

The Bottom Line

By the end of this session, you'll have a toolkit of strategies that you can use immediately. You'll feel more confident handling challenging interactions, and you'll understand how to turn potentially damaging situations into opportunities for better communication and stronger working relationships.

Most importantly, you'll know that you don't have to just "put up with" difficult behaviour, and you don't have to let it affect your own performance or job satisfaction. There are practical, professional ways to address these situations, and once you know what they are, work becomes a lot less stressful.

This training is particularly valuable for anyone who works in customer service fundamentals or deals with the public regularly, as these skills translate directly to managing challenging customer interactions as well.