In today's workforce, there is a growing concern regarding customers who are perceived to be rude, distrustful, and sometimes overly aggressive or potentially dangerous. While these attitudes can stem from internal or external factors, they are often based on inaccurate assumptions caused by cultural or style differences.

This course helps you differentiate between genuinely difficult customers and those who are misperceived as difficult. You will define conflict based on your own perspective and identify the factors that make a customer challenging for you. We will explore different styles and behaviors of difficult individuals, focusing on the aspects that are crucial for effectively dealing with customers or coworkers: communication styles, value differences, and job constraints or needs. Throughout the course, you will gain knowledge, enhance self-awareness, and acquire tools to enhance your effectiveness when dealing with clients.

Performance Objectives: Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Determine why clients can be perceived as difficult.
• Recognize how both perception and stereotypes impact interpersonal effectiveness.
• Identify styles and behaviors of difficult people.
• Determine when a customer is difficult or when the difficulty is a result of differences in values and communication.

Intended Audience: All audiences.