CTRI ACHIEVE

Conflict Management

Dealing with Difficult People

Challenging behaviours can disrupt teams and drain energy. This training gives leaders practical tools to respond effectively, maintain professionalism, and keep work moving forward.

Start Learning View Upcoming Dates

Available for Private Delivery

Certificate Included

Handle Difficult People with Confidence

We all encounter people we find difficult, and conversations with them often leave us feeling drained, stressed, or frustrated. This workshop explores what’s really happening beneath the surface of these interactions and provides practical strategies for shifting the dynamic toward more productive outcomes.

In addition to exploring general patterns of difficult behaviour, you will learn how to navigate bullying, pathological forms of intimidation, and chronic passive-aggressiveness or resistance.

After this workshop, you will know how to recognize these patterns early, manage your own responses, and adapt your communication strategies to reduce conflict and foster healthier interactions. This is an opportunity to build your self-awareness and develop personalized approaches to effectively deal with a range of challenging behaviours.

Learning Objectives

Identify and interpret difficult behaviours

Examine your personal dynamics with difficult people

Choose how to navigate difficult interactions

Develop strategic responses based on specific behaviour types

Apply self-awareness to leverage influence

12,500+

Professionals Trained

4.3 Stars

Trustpilot Rating

500+

Organizations Served

Choose Your Format

Training options built for real-world needs.

Most Popular

On-Demand Workshop

Recorded workshop for flexible, self‑paced learning.

$149

/ per person

Start right away – no scheduling required

Learn at your own pace, in manageable sections

Follow along with a full downloadable manual

Earn a certificate and continuing education credits

Access anytime, on any device

Share access across your team for consistent learning

Live Virtual Workshop

Interactive sessions with experienced facilitators.

From $309

/ per person

Learn from an experienced facilitator

Ask questions and get real-time guidance

Connect and learn alongside peers

Engage in discussions and practical exercises

Earn 6 CECs per day of training

Receive a certificate upon completion

View Upcoming Dates

Personalized training solutions for your team.

Starting at

$3500

per session

Additional Options

On-Demand Webinar

Condensed training in a video format.

Standalone written learning resource.

What You'll Learn

Strengthen your professional toolkit with strategies you can apply right away. The objectives below outline the core competencies you'll build through this training.

Understand What's Driving the Behaviour

Learn why people behave in challenging ways – including the stress, unmet needs, and communication patterns that often underlie difficult interactions – so you can respond to the cause, not just the surface.

Stay Professional Without Absorbing the Tension

Develop techniques for maintaining your own composure and professionalism when interactions feel charged, dismissive, or hostile.

Set Clear Expectations

Practice communicating expectations, boundaries, and consequences clearly and directly – without escalating the situation.

Apply Practical Response Strategies

Build a toolkit of strategies for the most common types of difficult behaviour, so you have a plan rather than a reaction.

Protect Team Dynamics

Learn how to manage one person's behaviour in ways that minimize the impact on the broader team environment and morale.

Build Confidence in Difficult Situations

Develop the practical confidence to handle challenging interactions with clarity and professionalism, rather than avoiding them until they get worse.

Our Approach

Grounded in research, practical application, and real‑world experience.

Accessible

Clear, approachable learning without unnecessary jargon.

Applicable

Content designed for real‑world challenges and opportunities.

Engaging

Facilitators bring content to life through stories and examples.

Practical

Skills and tools designed for everyday use in your setting.

What People Are Saying

Insights from our participants.

"

I'll definitely be on the look out for further training from Achieve. Through other participants I have heard excellent things about other courses. The strengths of the training were the ease of access and the excellent trainer who knew their materials very well and included all participants in the lecture."

Katja Moehl

Bay St. George Residential Support Board

"

ACHIEVE Centre for Leadership has become one of our most trusted resources for all things related to workplace culture and leadership. We have utmost confidence that any of their resources and materials are well-researched, verified, and represents best-practice in the industry. "

Nicole McKeen

City of Kawartha Lakes

"

The best parts of the workshop were that the instructor was engaging, knowledgeable, and professional, and that the diverse group of participants provided interesting contributions and discussion."

Laine Jensen

Edmonton Police Service

FAQs

Common questions about the training.

This training is for:

Leaders, managers, and supervisors

Human resources and people operations teams

Executive directors and senior leadership

Team leads and project managers

Employees moving into leadership roles

Professionals in corporate or organizational settings

Nonprofit and public sector administrators

Anyone who wants to strengthen their leadership and team skills

What does ""difficult people"" mean in this training?

+

The workshop focuses on challenging workplace behaviours – including passive aggression, hostility, constant complaints, and undermining behaviour – rather than labelling individuals. The goal is understanding behaviour and responding effectively.

Who is this training for?

+

This training is designed for managers, supervisors, HR professionals, and anyone who regularly deals with challenging personalities or behaviours in the workplace.

Is this training about managing poor performance?

+

There is overlap, but this workshop focuses specifically on behavioural challenges and how to respond to them. For performance management content, ACHIEVE also offers a dedicated Performance Management workshop.

Does this training address how to document or escalate issues?

+

Yes. The workshop includes guidance on when and how to escalate situations appropriately, including documentation practices.

Is this training available online or on-demand?

+

Yes. ACHIEVE offers this workshop in live, on-demand, and private formats. View current dates or contact us to arrange a session.

Can this training be paired with Conflict Resolution Skills or Difficult Conversations training?

+

Yes. These workshops complement each other well. Contact ACHIEVE to discuss combining topics for your team.

Handle Difficult People Without Escalation

Learn practical tools to manage challenging behaviours confidently while keeping teams functional and respectful. View live training dates, explore on-demand options, or bring this workshop to your team.

Start Learning View Upcoming Dates

Available for Private Delivery

Certificate Included