A Survival Guide for Working with Humans

Posted: maestro on Feb 11 | Personal E-Book

Dealing with Whiners, Back-Stabbers, Know-It-Alls, and Other Difficult People

Product Details

Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: AMACOM; 1 edition (January 23, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0814472052
ISBN-13: 978-0814472057
Format: PDF

Editorial Reviews

Book Description
Between dealing with difficult people and navigating through unexpected and complicated situations, the typical day at the office involves making countless choices on how to engage with others. To succeed in the long run, good work relationships must be carefully developed and maintained.

A Survival Guide for Working with Humans presents real-life scenarios of specific work relationship problems, along with interactive quizzes, and answers on how to solve each of the problems. The book shows readers how to:

* Deal with ethical dilemmas in the workplace * Resolve everyday conflicts * Know when to speak up, when not to, and what to say * Make a graceful retreat from an unwinnable confrontation

A snappy, conversational style combines with dozens of practical tools and examples to make a fascinating, essential book. About the Author
Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D. is the founder and director of Changemakers and Creative Communications & Research. She is the author of thirty-five books, including Work with Me!: Resolving Everyday Conflict in Your Organization. She wrote the Work It Right! column, upon which this book is based, for the Oakland Tribune. She lives in Oakland, California.

Contents
Acknowledgments ……………………………………………………………… v
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………… 1
I. An Aggressive Species
1. When Sweet Revenge Isn’t So Sweet …………………………………….. 7
2. Watch Out for the Eggshells ……………………………………………….. 12
3. Don’t Fight—Find Out! ……………………………………………………… 16
4. When to Turn Down the Volume, or
Find Someone Else to Do It ………………………………………………… 21
5. When a Problem Spirals Out of Control ……………………………….. 26
6. Prepare for the Worst-Case Scenario…………………………………….. 31
7. When Nothing Is the Best Solution………………………………………. 39
8. Keep It Clear, Clear, Clear…………………………………………………… 44
II. Political Animals
9. Choosing Your Battles ………………………………………………………… 51
10. Watch Out for Confidences…………………………………………………. 55
11. When You’re Not in the Family……………………………………………. 59
12. Dealing with Unearned Praise……………………………………………… 64
13. The Blame Game ……………………………………………………………….. 68
14. Besting the Betrayer……………………………………………………………. 75
III. Ethical Dilemmas
15. Don’t Let Them “Ethics” You ………………………………………………. 83
16. When Somebody Wants to Change the Rules………………………… 88
17. When There’s a Betrayer in the Group ………………………………….. 93
18. Finders Keepers—Or Not?…………………………………………………… 99
19. Fraud Happens………………………………………………………………….. 105
IV. People Who Ask Too Much
20. The Great Communicator—Not!…………………………………………. 113
21. Learning to Let ’Em Go: The Demanding Client ……………………. 117
22. The Give-and-Take Paradox………………………………………………… 121
23. When Nothing Seems to Work, It’s Time to Go Legal …………….. 126
24. Passing the Responsibility Buck…………………………………………… 131
25. Get Out While You Can ……………………………………………………… 137
26. When Help Turns into Help!!!—Get Me Out of This……………… 145
V. Capturing and Keeping the Job
27. Beating the Recommendation Game …………………………………….. 153
28. Knowing When to Back Off:
Don’t Push a Negotiation Too Far ………………………………………… 158
29. What to Do When Everything Seems to Be Going Wrong……….. 163
30. When to Keep Your Cards to Yourself…………………………………… 167
31. Watch Out for Warning Signs ……………………………………………… 172
32. Don’t Resign Yourself—Redesign Yourself ……………………………… 179
33. Be a Problem Solver—Theirs, Not Yours ………………………………. 183
34. Dealing with the Boss from Hell ………………………………………….. 187
VI. Putting It Together
35. Mastering Your Survival Skills …………………………………………….. 195
36. What’s Your Survival Quotient? A Self-Assessment Quiz ………… 206
Index ……………………………………………………………………………….. 211
About the Author ………………………………………………………………. 216