Difficult People

by John Hoover

Every office has someone who's no fun to be around. But getting along with that person—and managing them effectively—can make both your jobs easier. Difficult People , a comprehensive and essential resource for any manager on the run, shows you how. Learn The Collins Best Practices guides offer new and seasoned managers the essential information they need to achieve more, both personally and professionally. Designed to provide tried-and-true advice from the world's most influential business minds, they feature practical strategies and tips to help you get ahead.

Genres: Self Help, Business, Ebooks, Nonfiction, Psychology, Management

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2007

Reviews

[Nina Carduner]

A cathartic read but the solutions where shallow. Makes you realize that everyone has unfulfilled childhood needs that are brought with us everywhere. (especially in the work place)

[Puja]

I'm not sure why I bought this book - it was probably on sale at the Oxford bookstore that I like and I was at that time trying to be sane through an extended period of putting up with difficult people at the workplace. Or maybe it was just the photo of the cute prickly animal (looks like a hedgehog) on the cover. This is a tiny book, very easy to read with advice on how to deal with the different kinds of difficult colleagues out there. The author John Hoover creates eight such categories including the Minutiae Monster, Slave Driver, Black Hole and the Know-it-All.

Much as the book is well intended to genuinely help in dealing with problematic 'jerkish' office mates and bosses, it may not help you deal with the ultra-psychotic ones, the unreasonable out-of-this-world unique crazies. This is fair enough, considering that one shoe won't fit all. There are some points in the book I found valuable like the one about emails - not sending them in an emotional state of mind. I have learnt that the hard way, it's best to sleep over such emails and sometimes best not to send them. I liked the 'Power Point' sections in the book. I found some of the strategies and steps in dealing with people to be a bit bookish - not sure if in the real world that most of us survive in, these steps would work or be needed. I also didn't like the rather corporate/cold way of documenting everything about people and asking them to leave the organization. But again, that is the way it is done in most big corporate houses I suppose.

[Kareem Kamal]

I found that I'm a difficult person myself. Each type has its own danger zone. The writer tells you why each type is difficult and how to deal with him whether he is your boss or your coordinate. There are self-assessment tests in the books which help you see yourself.

[ZOT]

A very simple book but helps a lot in dealing with people. Easy to bring along since the size of it ie 4'x8'. Another good book from John Hoover.

[ALM]

I wish I had read this book sooner. Knowing the different types of difficult people and how to handle them in the workplace is a skill everyone should have—including the difficult people themselves, since many aren’t even aware that they’re being difficult.

[Books Reader]

The bibliography is good

[hhhhhhhhh]

simple, readable, sensible advice on dealing wtih eight common character types in the workplace. this did the job, giving me some insight in a real prickly pear i have to work with and some strategies for dealing with her.

[EmmiK]

Practical enough but no variety in the solutions. All the approaches to dealing with the various categories of people were basically the same which is not plausible. There's no way you can treat two separate and distinct categories with the same/similar method.

[Maria Florissa]

A big help, not only to those who directly manage and supervise people, but also for those working people who does everyday interaction with their colleagues, bosses and customers.