1. Establish a Zero-Tolerance Policy
2. Don’t Let Difficult People Set the Tone for the Office
3. Bone Up on Dealing With Difficult Employees
4. Don’t Wait for the Boston Tea Party
6. Work Out a Solution Jointly
7. Follow Through on a Plan of Action
8. What Personality Trait Is at Play?
9. Make Sure the Employee Understands
11. Express Confidence That the Person Can Change
12. Thank Them for Their Cooperation
13. Master the Art of Difficult Conversations
14. Train Your Managers in the Art of Difficult Conversations
17. Reign in Difficult Family Members
19. Handling Resistance to Overtime
20. Dealing With Information Hoarders
21. Know When to Consult a Lawyer or Other Experts
22. Don’t Take Problem People Home
23. When an Employee Threatens Violence
24. Offer Bullies Options, Not Just Objections
25. Document Difficult Encounters
26. Monitor Phone Calls for Difficult Employees
27. Acknowledge Employees for Defusing Tense Situations
28. The Office Isn’t a Day Care
29. Use Irrational Requests as Conversational Openers
32. Encourage Employees to Tell You About Problem Colleagues
33. Don’t Be Afraid to Critique Problem Managers
34. When a Problem Employee Gives Notice
35. Establish a System for Filing Complaints
37. Encourage Managers to Communicate Problems Up the Chain
38. No Across-the-Board Reprimands
39. Don’t Parent a Difficult Employee
41. Remove a Team Member if Necessary
43. When Employees Resist Change
44. Nix Managers Gossip About Employees
45. The Greatest No-Shows on Earth
46. Is the Work Load Balanced?
47. Don’t Undercut Your Managers
48. Don’t Forget About Your Other Employees
49. Help! How to Find an Attorney
54. Suggest Better Work Habits
55. Send Employees for More Training
57. Is the Affair Bad for Business?
58. Handling the Nasty End to Subordinates’ Romance
59. Addressing an Employee Who Won’t Dress the Part
60. A Wake-Up Call for Stragglers
61. Use an Evaluation as a Blueprint for Transforming Problem Employees
62. Call Employees on Inappropriate Computer and Internet Use
63. Nip Managers’ Favoritism in the Bud
65. When Employees Ask to Borrow Money
67. Remind Employees of the Chain of Command
68. Demand Sensitivity Training
69. By the Way, “This Is Your Job”
71. Know When to Cut Your Losses
74. Ask Offenders for Self-Evaluation
78. Asking a Colleague to Clean Up His Cube
79. Don’t Take Disputes Personally
80. Talking to a Colleague About Faulty Hygiene
81. Try Role-Playing Before the Big Face-Off
82. Getting Colleagues to Respect Your Time
83. Don’t Throw Gas on the Fire
84. Don’t Let the P.D.s Get You Down
85. Find the Fault Line of the Fault-Finding Teammate
86. Know Your Workplace Rights
87. Confront Bullies on Your Own Terms
88. Establish Rules for Contentious Team Meetings
90. When a Colleague Refuses to Cooperate
91. Challenge the Chronic Complainer
92. The Cell Phone and What Ails Us
93. Keeping Delicate Phone Talks Private
95. How to Handle a Surprise Milestone Party
97. Handling the Chronic Interrupter
98. Don’t Let an Aggressive Colleague Commandeer Your Meeting
102. Taming the Green-Eyed Monster
103. Make Sure the Boss Knows Your Side of the Story
106. Seek a Colleague’s Advice
108. Temper Criticism With Praise
110. Change Your Location if You Have To
114. When to Take Legal Action
117. Beware the False Confidant
121. When a Colleague Won’t Pay Up
122. Have Fun Despite the Naysayers
124. Prep for a Meeting With the Boss
128. Red Alert: A Colleague Belittles You in Front of the Boss
131. Ouch! The Supersensitive Colleague
132. When You’re Asked to Clean Up a Colleague’s Report
139. When a Foe Asks for a Favor
140. Handling the Over -indulger
141. Asking a Fellow Manager to Respect Your Subordinates
142. The Disappearing Colleague
143. When a Problem Employee Becomes Your Boss
146. Just Say No to the Office Peddler
148. If the Boss Asks, Give an Honest Assessment of a Colleague
149. If You Must, Avoid Contentious Topics
150. Assemble an Emotional First-Aid Kit