Dealing with Hostility

Handling Harassment The Real Deal: A Guide to Managing Challenging Conversations

Course Outline by Dana Harris

Course Overview

We've all had that sinking feeling when the talk heads in the wrong direction. Whether you are handling someone who is angry and rude, or a colleague who's frustrated and grumpy, or someone who is hell bent on picking a fight, such interactions have a way of leaving you drained and with no response. The truth is that combative situations are a fact of professional life, and figuring out how to handle them in frequent and forceful fashion isn't good for you, it's necessary.

This course is everything you need to arm you with the best down to earth techniques to handling hostility at work. Instead of theory, we're interested in practical approaches that actually work in the heat of high emotions. You will learn how to approach difficult conversations to build the confidence in yourself to not only take care of yourself but also survive professionally.

Learning Outcomes

Having finished this course, you will be able to:

Spot early signs of an imminent escalation of conflict and step in before conflict spirals out of control

REST (de escalate) Try proven de escalation techniques that soothe rather than flame tense encounters

Keep your cool when dealing with aggressive or irrational behaviour

Set limits without causing more battles

Employ solutions which solve the root cause instead of symptoms.

Establish after incident procedures to deter re encountering of these hostile objects.

Develop a thicker skin so that you can deal with tough people without letting it impact your Health and wellness

Course Modules

Module 1: Understanding Hostility

Differentiating between frustration, anger and real animosity

What regularly inflates workplace tensions

The psychology behind hostile behaviour

Module 2: Self Regulation Under Pressure

Controlling your fight or flight reaction to violence

Breathing techniques and grounding strategies

Remaining cool while being attacked personally professionally

Module 3: The De escalation Communication Strategy

Comfort language versus discomfort language

Active listening skills for difficult conversations

Non verbal communication that signals safety

Module 4: Setting Boundaries Effectively

When to connect and when to disconnect

Workplace approved methods for saying no without causing an escalation

Protecting yourself while remaining helpful

Module 5: Problem Solving in Crisis

Transitioning from emotive responses to constructive measures

How to work with the difficult one.

Work out win win solutions, even in totally hopeless appearing circumstances

Module 6: Recovery and Prevention

Debriefing after hostile encounters

Creating systems to avoid the same problems next time

For those who constantly deal with difficult people.

What You Will Learn

This program provides you with a powerful arsenal against workplace hostility. You'll learn to spot warning signs before things really get out of hand, placing you two steps ahead of where you'd be if you waited to intervene. You will practice communication strategies that will alleviate the pressure, rather than inflame it.

You'll pick up how to safeguard your emotional state and yet also be helpful and professional. The course discusses the exact phrases and approaches that work in the real world, whether it's dealing with angry customers or handling frustrated team members. We'll offer advice on how to set healthy boundaries without making matters worse and share problem solving strategies that get at the root causes, rather than just treating the symptoms.

More importantly, you'll gain the confidence to judge when to keep at tough conversations, and when to strike out. The skills you develop are applicable to all aspects of life, not just in the context of work.

Course Delivery

This interactive training pairs theory with hands on application. It features participants practicing role play based material from the workplace to group discussions on challenging scenarios the attendees have faced, as well as skill development that can be utilised in their work environment right away.

The training involves personal reflection time, peer learning opportunities, and continuing support materials to help you keep growing after you enrol!

Concluding Remarks

Effectively dealing with hostility is a skill that can be learnt, and it can significantly improve your work life and personal life. Negotiation and influencing skills that you can use to deal with difficult people and situations more effectively are what you will get from this course. You'll walk away with actionable skills you can use now and the confidence to approach tough conversations with backbone.

No one should fear work related interaction due to the potential for confrontational incidents. By developing these key skills, you're not only increasing your professional capacity, you're also increasing your quality of life.

Based in Melbourne Communication Skills Training and options available across Australia.