Dealing with Difficult Interactions

Definition

Dealing with Difficult Interactions* means interacting with others in a tactful and effective manner when faced with a sensitive or tense situation in order to preserve productive working relationships.

*This competency excludes those interactions that have taken place entirely in writing, such as letters or e-mail exchanges. Exceptions may be made for employees with disabilities, on a case-by-case basis.

Core motivation: To ensure professional and effective interactions

It's about:

This competency relates to an individual’s effectiveness in dealing with sensitive or tense situations occurring during verbal interactions in a work-related environment. Difficult interactions occur between people at work and could be caused by a dissatisfaction, disagreement, opposition, or intentional provocation. It could also be a situation where the other person made you feel vulnerable, upset, frustrated, angry or anxious.

Sensitive or tense situations while performing work-related duties can negatively impact the working relationship with colleagues, clients, taxpayers, or external service providers. When this type of situation occurs, it is crucial that you act professionally, respectfully and with tact, in order to ensure an effective outcome as well as preserve the organization's image.

Dealing with Difficult Interactions - What it means and does not mean

Dealing with Difficult Interactions means…

Dealing with Difficult Interactions does not mean…

  • Being aware of the impact that emotions have on the interaction, and remaining calm
  • Maintaining a professional approach in an emotional situation
  • Being respectful when addressing others in a sensitive or tense situation
  • Encouraging and helping others manage their emotions, if applicable
  • Preserving working relationships despite being in a sensitive or tense situation
  • Ignoring emotions in the workplace
  • Letting emotions take over workplace interactions
  • Being unprofessional and disrespectful when interacting with others
  • Saying or doing things that make the situation worse
  • Ignoring opportunities to assist others to deal with sensitive or tense situations

Purpose of this competency for CRA

Dealing with Difficult Interactions encourages productive working relationships so that employees can fulfill their duties and achieve the CRA objectives.

Progression of scale - Degree of effort spent to address the situation and scope of positive impact

The Progression of the scale works together with the underlying notions, so it is important to consider this information as it indicates how the behaviours progress as you move from level 1 to level 4. The behaviours generally build on each other.

Dealing with Difficult Interactions - progression of scale
  Lower levels Higher levels

Degree of Effort
At all levels, you need to consider how the working relationship will be affected if the sensitive or tense situation is not handled well.

The effort is limited to reflecting on the situation, remaining calm and engaging in a productive discussion.

The effort is significant as you are demonstrating the behaviours yourself and also investing time and energy to ensure that others deal with sensitive or tense situations in a positive manner.

Your ability to effectively address sensitive or tense situations often serves as a good example and your behaviour has a positive impact on others in the organization.

Note: For this competency, the intensity of the sensitive or tense situation does not increase with the levels.

Scope of Positive Impact

The scope of positive impact is limited to those directly involved.

The scope of the positive impact extends beyond those involved in one situation; your actions prepare others to deal with their own difficult interactions in a professional manner to maintain good working relationships.

Demonstration of the higher levels usually occurs when you display the appropriate behaviours yourself during sensitive or tense situations and also educate others in your work environment to do the same in similar circumstances.

Dealing with Difficult interactions level 1
Underlying Notion

Behaviours could include, but are not limited to:

Maintaining composure

  • Recognizes the value of positive working relationships.
  • Recognizes when there is a difference of opinion that could negatively affect working relationships.
  • Reflects on the situation and how to best approach it.
  • Resists the temptation to engage in a negative behaviour or inappropriate reactions.
  • Remains outwardly calm and even-tempered.

In other words, you may:

At this level, you remain outwardly calm and behave professionally. The degree of effort spent to address the situation is minimal and the scope of positive impact is limited between you and the other party involved in the difficult interaction.

Example/Context

Billy presented his proposal for changes to procedures to his colleagues. When Ann openly criticized his proposal, Billy remained calm rather than showing that he was upset. Instead of reacting defensively, he decided to listen to the reasons why Ann was against it, and then take time to consider it.

Dealing with Difficult interactions level 2
Underlying Notion Behaviours could include, but are not limited to:

Responding constructively

  • Controls own emotions and responds to provocation or challenge in a professional manner.
  • Considers the needs, emotions, and perspectives of the other person involved to determine how to best address the situation.
  • Engages the other person in a productive discussion in order to achieve the desired results and maintain positive working relationships.
  • Keeps an open mind, listens to the other person to understand their point of view and identifies common interests.
  • Focuses the conversation on the facts of the situation rather than on the person.

In other words, you may:

At this level, you are more involved in addressing the difficult interaction by responding professionally to the other party. You do not let your temper or emotions show in your response. However, you need to connect with your own emotions, be aware of the others’ emotions and try to put yourself in their shoes.

The degree of effort spent to address the situation is greater since you respond more actively to the other party involved in the difficult interaction. The scope of positive impact includes you and the other party involved.

Example/Context

Billy presented his proposal for changes to procedures, to his colleagues. When Ann openly criticized his proposal, Billy remained calm rather than showing that he was upset. Instead of reacting defensively, he decided to listen to the reasons why Ann was against it, and then take time to consider it.

Ann presented her point of view and challenged the feasibility of Billy’s new approach. Billy remained calm, considered the points that Ann had made, and clarified the specific portion of the proposal that she had issue with. He then invited her to sit with him and provide suggestions that would make that part of the work flow better, and improve the proposal. Ann was open to his suggestion and they worked together to significantly improve procedures in their work area.

Dealing with Difficult interactions level 3
Underlying Notion Behaviours could include, but are not limited to:

Demonstrating and promoting ways to effectively deal with difficult interactions

  • Uses effective behaviours and helps others understand the importance of responding appropriately and communicating professionally in challenging circumstances.
  • Helps others look beyond the immediate issue and attempt to deal with the root of the situation so it does not continue or escalate further.
  • Demonstrates an effective way to defuse a highly emotional situation by using positive words or actions to alleviate tension.
  • Encourages the use of the resources available and communicates the benefits of preserving positive working relationships.
  • Sets an example by portraying maturity in a highly sensitive or tense situation.

In other words, you may:

This level contains two elements:

  1. demonstrating an effective way of dealing with one’s own difficult interactions; and

  2. promoting to others effective approaches to deal with their difficult interactions.

In short, you portray the appropriate behaviours in sensitive or tense situations, as well as helping others deal effectively with their difficult interactions.

At this level, as the scope of positive impact expands beyond those involved in an immediate sensitive or tense situation, the degree of effort spent to address the difficult interaction is significant considering the time and energy you invested in others.

Example/Context

The team leader made arrangements to meet with her team to explain a new policy change that would likely create dissatisfaction for some clients and in turn affect their working relationships with team members. In preparation, she reflected on the team’s possible responses and concerns. During the meeting, she clearly explained the policy change and encouraged open discussion. When some of the team members started to voice their frustrations and the discussion got heated, the team leader calmly addressed their negative feedback and addressed concerns to ensure they understood the corporate direction. The team members were most concerned that there would be a lot of dissatisfied and frustrated clients for them to deal with. They felt it would be a challenge to maintain good working relationships with clients once the change was implemented. The team leader embraced the opportunity to help her team understand how to prepare for any difficult conversations they would be faced with. She emphasized the importance of remaining calm and professional when addressing the client’s negative reactions. She shared examples of approaches she had used in similar tense situations and engaged the team in role plays to demonstrate good techniques. She also explained to her team the tools that are available on the National Conflict Resolution website that can help them prepare and engage in a productive conversation with their clients. She ended the meeting by recommending they take advantage of guidance and support provided as part of the policy change, to help them deal effectively with the complaints that arose and reduce the impact on their clients.

Dealing with Difficult interactions level 4
Underlying Notion Behaviours could include, but are not limited to:

Fostering an environment where difficult interactions are handled effectively

  • Creates an atmosphere that inspires others to deal with various sensitive or tense situations in a positive manner.
  • Introduces strategies and mechanisms that support and help employees to prepare for and deal with various interpersonal challenges.
  • Develops a constructive approach in the work environment to maintain credibility and professionalism in crisis situations.

In other words, you may:

At this level, the behaviour is strategic and is affecting a group of people in the working environment. The degree of effort and amount of time spent to address the sensitive or tense situation is very high and the scope of positive impact is very broad.

Example/Context

The team leader made arrangements to meet with her team to explain a new policy change that would likely create dissatisfaction for some clients and in turn affect their working relationship with team members. In preparation, she reflected on the team’s possible responses and concerns. During the meeting, she clearly explained the policy change and encouraged open discussion. When some of the team members started to voice their frustrations and the discussion got heated, the team leader calmly addressed their negative feedback and addressed concerns to ensure they understood the corporate direction. The team members were most concerned that there would be a lot of dissatisfied and frustrated clients for them to deal with. They felt it would be a challenge to maintain good working relationships with clients once the change was implemented. The team leader embraced the opportunity to help her team understand how to prepare for any difficult conversations they would be faced with. She emphasized the importance of remaining calm and professional when addressing the client’s negative reactions. She shared examples of approaches she had used in similar tense situations and engaged the team in role plays to demonstrate good techniques.

She realized this was the first of many policy changes that would take place as part of government initiatives. Having experienced the frustrations and concerns of her own team, she recognized the need for an action plan for the broader organization to deal with the fall out of policy change. She devoted significant time and effort to developing a training tool for the workplace with a focus on useful techniques to be used in different sensitive or tense situations. With her Director’s endorsement, she created a committee to facilitate the use of resources and to provide on-going support for those dealing with difficult interactions. It was recognized by everyone that her actions were instrumental in enabling employees to deal more effectively with clients, and preserve good working relationships.

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