Twitter #LeadWithGiants Tweet Chat: Leading Difficult People (Monday, August 17, 2015)

At 7PM Eastern every Monday evening the #LeadWithGiants tweetchat occurs on Twitter.

Every week a different topic. On the evening of August 17, 2015, the topic was Leading Difficult People.

I present the questions and  my answers and a little bit more. Please enjoy.
If you can, please joins us next week. Look for the #LeadWithGiants hashtag every Monday evening (and throughout the week) or follow @LeadWithGiants on twitter to get the questions..

Leading Difficult People


Q1. How would you describe a difficult person? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: I would describe a difficult person as someone that is not 100% aligned with what is going on in the organization or personal life.
To be a bit clearer, a difficult person is someone that either does not want to be a positive participant in what the group, section, team, department or organization is doing as part of doing business.

Q2 What is your greatest challenge in leading difficult people? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: Greatest challenge is maintaining dialogue while avoid the trap that is their monologue.
When it comes to leading difficult people the trick is to keep them and everyone else on the team focused. Keeping everyone focused is made even more difficult when difficult individuals want their story to be the only story to be told. A leader’s work is hard enough without having to deal with the negativity. However, a great leader will work through the problems and do everything she can do to keep everyone focused.

Q3. Describe a time where you successfully/unsuccessfully dealt with a difficult person. #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: First time leading soldiers in the Army. It is like a rite of passage for them to be difficult.
Yes, all first time leaders will be tested. They must be tested all the time. Testing is how leaders become good and how good leaders become great! The sooner a leader deals with a difficult person (or people) the sooner he can begin down the path to leadership greatness.

Q4 How have you seen a difficult person disrupt a team or group? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: When the elements are not cooperating, the situation is SNAFU, one bad apple can morale hit rock bottom very fast.
When the situation is less than favorable and the team is already, teetering on the brink of complete shut down all it takes is one negative comment from the most difficult/negative person on the team to bring morale down. That’s why as a leader it behooves you to constantly maintain a level of professionalism and consistently apply morale boosting techniques to avoid any undermining by those difficult individuals.

Q5. How do you get a difficult person to change? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: Training to fill in knowledge gaps, Make individual responsible for part of the results, work with them or cut them loose.
As a leader there is only so much you can do to motivate anyone. Difficult people typically feel underappreciated and may just need a little boost or opportunity to have them show their stuff. However, when they don’t have what it takes or flat out refuse to become active, positive members of the group well of course it may be time to cut the line and set them adrift (hopefully, into the sea of their own misery).

Q6. Can a difficult person actually be good for the team? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: Yes, they can motivate in reverse. Do good just to put the difficult person in his place.
By having the team work together and complete the assigned task the difficult person gets what he or she was NOT expecting. The team used the negativity against that individual to not only motivate themselves but to drive the difficult person back to his/her dark place (until the next project comes along).

Q7. Why are some people difficult to work with? Where does it originate? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: Some feel that based on tenure, education, or their own ego that they can do better than who is actually in charge and resentment begins.
Many individuals believe because they have the education they deserve to be leaders. When they do not get their way they start to resent the leaders that are deserving of the title of leader. See, going to school or staying with an organization for a long time does NOT automatically make anyone a leader. It is what those individuals do with their education or tenure that makes them the real leaders. There is NOTHING automatically given for getting a Bachelor’s Degree or outlasting your co-workers, it has to be earned, especially the title of Leader.

Q8 Why is “avoidance” a poor choice in dealing with a difficult person? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: The problem person will only be encouraged because others will avoid the problem. Nip it in the bud! Nip it!
When problems are set aside or ignored, outright that is when the real trouble begins. Therefore, the sooner a problem is addressed, the sooner it can go away and never be dealt with again. It is better for the future of the leader, the difficult person, and the team when problems are handled effectively and expediently.

Q9 When the Leader is the difficult person, what then? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: That is when other leaders MUST step in and handle the situation or risk complete leadership failure.
All the leaders in the organization are there for each other. That’s what being a leader is all about; to make things better for everyone. When one has a problem, it is the duty of all the other leaders to step in and help correct the situation. When they don’t step up and step in is when bigger problems occur and that is not a good thing for anyone.

Q10. If the entire team is difficult to work with, what might be the problem? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: Lack of top-down communication, which did not create a buy-in by the stakeholders. Communication is king! 
The leader must ensure that communication is flowing in both directions to ensure that everyone understands what the situation is, what it isn’t, what must happen, and most importantly, who is going to do what. I understand it sounds that simple but it is harder than it looks. However, that should not discourage anyone from trying especially any leader worth his weight in salt.


Thank you,
David Guerra

I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra • visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of Great To Follow: Amazon paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble paperback
To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

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ABCs of 2014: Day 12: Always Be LEADING

Today's ABCs of 2014 is: ALWAYS BE LEADING. A for Always, B for Be, and C for Leading (the C is silent).

Are you LEADING? Are you taking the LEAD in what you do? Are you stepping up to the plate each and every time someone calls for a leader to do so?

-or-

Are you just going through the motions? Just faking it? All of us would like to think we are stepping up and taking the leadership bull by the horns. That is a good thing to think and believe.

However, LEADING is an action. You have to be doing it and not just thinking it or believing it. YOU HAVE TO BE LEADING, ALWAYS!

There is no half in or half out with this one. Sure, there are plenty of people that will scam others to believe that they are leaders. If you need a hint as to who those scammers are, think POLITICIANS! OK, maybe 99.999% of all POLITICIANS.

Unless, they have proven themselves as True Leaders in their chosen profession first (Think President Dwight D. Eisenhower, President Theodore Roosevelt, President George Washington) otherwise they are nothing bags of hot air that spew forth nothing but bunkum!

If all the others do is nothing but going around making insincere speeches intended to please local constituents they are NOT leaders. You know, they PROMISE A LOT but deliver VERY LITTLE. Those my friends are NOT LEADERS! They are the opposite of leaders and I do not mean followers.

You are only a True Leader when you step up and PROMISE VERY LITTLE and DELIVER A LOT!!!

Now, get out there and start LEADING! Everyone that matters (and everyone matters) is eagerly awaiting for you to arrive.


Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Always Be Leading • Be A Leader • ABCs of 2014 • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero