Dealing with Difficult People: Fast, Effective Strategies for Handling Problem People

by Roy Lilley

Learn how to navigate the bullies, manipulators and complainers who drive you mad. With example dialogue and techniques, it will help you navigate tricky situations and keep your cool.

By understanding the motives and individual behaviours of difficult people, you can learn to manage aggression, reduce awkwardness and remain the better person. This 5th edition of the bestselling Dealing with Difficult People features practical exercises, useful templates and top tips you need to get the best out of the worst, including how to deal with difficult customers, dealing with difficult people in the digital sphere, advice on beating bullies at their own game and how to deal with a boss who drives you barmy.


The Creating Success series of books...
Unlock vital skills, power up your performance and get ahead with the bestselling Creating Success series. Written by experts for new and aspiring managers and leaders, this million-selling collection of accessible and empowering guides will get you up to speed in no time. Packed with clever thinking, smart advice and the kind of winning techniques that really get results, you'll make fast progress, quickly reach your goals and create lasting success in your career.

181 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 3, 2022

Reviews

[Darya · Rating 4 out of 5]

In every workplace, family, or social group, we all encounter people who seem impossible to work with—those who challenge, frustrate, or even intimidate us. Whether it's a pushy boss, a passive-aggressive colleague, or a stubborn friend, these interactions can drain our energy and disrupt our peace of mind.
In this practical and empowering guide, you will find clear, fast, and effective strategies to help you take control of difficult situations with confidence and tact. Using real-life examples and straightforward language, you will learn how to:
- Understand why difficult people behave the way they do
- Stay calm, focused, and in control during tough conversations
- Use assertiveness, empathy, and boundaries to turn conflicts into cooperation
- Identify your own triggers—and manage your emotional responses
- Build resilience and avoid being manipulated or drawn into drama
The book can become your go-to toolkit for transforming frustration into productivity, tension into teamwork, and stress into success. Whether you're dealing with chronic complainers, control freaks, or outright bullies, you'll discover that you you have more power than you think.

[Bzz Kolla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Kogan Page for this eCopy to review

How to Deal with Difficult People is the standout book in the series. Roy Lilley delivers a sharp, insightful guide to handling challenging personalities in both professional and personal settings.

The book explores seven classic difficult personality types, including hostile-aggressive individuals, complainers, silent-unresponsive people, and know-it-alls. Lilley provides tailored strategies for managing each type, emphasising the importance of staying calm, setting boundaries, and using effective communication techniques. One of the most valuable sections discusses conflict resolution, offering practical methods to defuse tense situations and turn confrontation into cooperation.

How to Deal with Difficult People is a clear, engaging, and highly practical resource that has helped me navigate tricky interactions with confidence. Whether you're dealing with a difficult boss, colleague, or customer, this book offers invaluable insights to transform frustration into productive dialogue.

[Nicholas O'Brien]

Topic: Conflict Resolution, Communication, Difficult Conversations

Amazon Rating: 3.8/5
goodreads Rating: 3.3/5
Nick’s Rating: 3.0/5

Who should (or when to) read this: You find yourself faced with dealing with a specific difficult person you cannot avoid.

Nick’s Major takeaway(s): There are seven categories of difficult people and each has their own distinct ways of being difficult and if you can figure out what type of people they are, there are clear steps you can take to deal with them.

Notable Quotes: “By understanding people, how they tick, what think and why they act like they do, we can avoid the bad times and horrible situations and overcome the awkward issues” – Roy Lilley

If you are interested in more suggestions about personal development, growth and leadership; follow me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthshe... to see content on “level up literature” #lul

[Madelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I did enjoy this book. There were definitely some great tips and treats on how to deal with difficult people. However, I do feel this book was more for people who are bosses or in upper management. There was much more information tailored to that category that the average employee, like myself. The introduction of the book was very confusing, talking about COVID, and remote working. I was not quite sure I was reading the correct book. Then came the QR codes. I will admit they had some good, interesting information, but there were so many in the beginning that I found it very distracting. Overall, it was good, I learned some things, which is all I can ask out of a self help type book.

Thanks to Kogan Page Ltd publishing for providing me an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Yari · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Deal with Difficult People: Fast, Effective Strategies for Handling Problem People by Roy Lilley outlines several personality types and strategies for managing them. This book will be great for new supervisors and managers for some quick insight on managing people with the understanding they should also explore other resources that cover these personality types in greater depth.

Thank you @koganpage and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Pug Date: May 03 2025
Rating: 4 Stars

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[Evita]

The key takeaway is that difficult people are more predictable. The book suggests how to recognize different difficult types and how to deal with each. Sometimes the tactics felt too short, could have been more elaborate.