Dealing with Difficult People Archives

Leadership Caffeine™—Too Much Time with the Wrong People

If I could have all of the time back working with poor performers, people in dire need of an attitude adjustment or, people who momentarily fooled naive, noble me into believing they wanted to change their ways, I would gladly reinvest it with those seeking to grow and strengthen as professionals. Early in my career, I believed that I could by sheer force of will turn poor performers into stars and help those with poor attitudes emerge as model citizens. I believed I possessed the leader's equivalent of the Philosopher's Stone and could turn lead into gold.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:11:18-05:00November 10th, 2013|Leadership, Leadership Caffeine|5 Comments

Leadership Caffeine™: 4 Common Project Leadership Mistakes to Avoid

The team or project leader’s responsibility is not to find a way to squash the variance in personalities, but rather to foster the right environment for people who are different to come together and perform. Here are four key mistakes to avoid as you seek to align your collection of challenging personalities around your project and pursue great performance.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:11:22-05:00March 18th, 2013|Leadership, Leadership Caffeine, Project Management|5 Comments

Leadership Caffeine™-If You Want to Be a Critic, Go Watch a Movie

The Leader as Critic is one of the most toxic, idea-crushing characters you’ll ever find in the workplace. This individual mistakenly assumes that title confers a License to Kill (perceived bad ideas) and he/she takes pride in shooting down ideas to protect people and teams from themselves. Here are ideas to help you recognize whether you are the critic. And if you work for one, here are some coping strategies.

By Art Petty|2017-12-12T19:54:17-06:00October 31st, 2011|Leadership Caffeine|4 Comments

Dealing with Active Resisters and Apathetic Loafers at Work, School or in Workshops

There are those that are eager to learn, inquisitive, participative and genuinely excited to hear something that challenges their pre-conceived ideas or that expands their thinking. These Active Learners bring energy to the situation and they raise the quality of the engagement for everyone involved. Unfortunately, it’s common in many settings to meet the alter egos of the Active Learner. They come in several shapes and sizes, ranging from Aggressive Resisters to Apathetic Loafers. What's a manager, educator or facilitator to do?

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:11:45-05:00December 1st, 2010|Leadership|3 Comments