DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE


 

Dealing with difficult people was the theme for a training course that I attended today. There was no role play, although the opportunity to be objectionable and cantankerous was clearly relished by many. Instead there was ample opportunity for interaction by the trainer and the participants who were all collaborative lawyers practising in the North East and who are always keen to hone their soft skills.
During the course of the session it materialised that, for many of us, difficult people are not so much clients going through the trauma of a relationship breakdown but rather the solicitor acting for our client’s estranged spouse. The difficult professional is not, of course, a collaboratively trained lawyer but instead someone who can create even more mayhem to what is already a delicate but confused situation, simply by flexing an inflated ego, be it his own or his client’s. The wrong choice of phrase in a letter, a bullying strategy, an unnecessarily aggressive stance and the warming up of muscles for a fight are classic traits. They expect fire to be met with fire and the process of resolution in the best interests of the whole family is seriously undermined.
However, as result of the assistance of coach  Andrew Pearce from Prydale Partners, such combatants can in future expect their tactics to be met with disabling responses. Never underestimate the power of silence, body language or a collaborative practitioner who knows the secrets for securing control.
 
 

Comments

It's impossible for people to be completely void of emotion. It's especially difficult to maintain a level head during a divorce, when tensions are high and a relationship is closing. While some conflict can be expected between clients, it is completely unprofessional and unacceptable for a lawyer to be aggressive or flex their ego during proceedings. I'm glad this is getting recognized.
Being a divorce lawyer in Tulsa Oklahoma requires me to work with difficult people eveyday. Some of them are opposing lawyers who pride themselves on being difficult, some of them are clients who are not difficult people in and of themselves but who are experiencing the moat difficult time in their lives.
I like what you said in the article as far as never underestimate the power of silence. This is so true not only for those of us from a professional standpoint that need to listen to people's problems, concerns and personal matters, but it works at any level in society as well.
I think you've hit the nail on the head here. Clients being difficult can sometimes be understood. LAwyers on the other hand...

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