It is a fact of corporate life-you will probably have to manage or interact with a difficult person at some time or another.  I love Talent Management Magazine and always seem to find informative articles on a variety of topics.  In this month’s issue, Pelan’s article titled, “Managing Difficult People” has some sound advice.

There is no question that effective communication skills are mandatory when working on teams-especially given that most teams are diverse, global and even virtual, at times.  Pelan argues, “When employees understand their communication style, they can modify and adjust to improve their situational effectiveness.”  There is no doubt in my mind, though, that without the awareness of one’s style and how to adjust the style based on the situation and personality, it is pretty difficult to navigate the slippery slope of a difficult personality.  I highly recommend taking an assessment such as Myers-Briggs or DISC to help you determine your communication style.

Some tips for handling problem personalities:

• “Recognize the situation and clarify in writing.
• Define action steps.
• Use assertive and objective language and use ‘I’ statements.
• Be prepared to disagree assertively or to state an opinion.
• Use appropriate body language.”

Check out the entire article to learn more.