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Use Irrational Requests as Conversational Openers

More than 75 percent of the obese people polled for a recent survey claimed they had healthy eating habits. And 40 percent said they exercised vigorously at least three times a week. The astounding responses, one doctor said, showed that the respondents were either ignorant or in denial about what constitutes a healthy diet or vigorous exercise.

Difficult employees often land in those zones of denial or ignorance. They have no clue about their shortcomings and, in fact, may hold themselves in much higher regard than you do. When they ask for special considerations such as a merit raise or the chance to work from home, consider that conversation your cue to remind her what the company expects from its employees. Tell the employee you will happily revisit her requests in a few months. But for now emphasize that you’d like her to focus on turning in the kind of performance that would put her in the running for office perks.