How to: Dealing with Challenging Behaviour

What does this look like?

Proactive managers:

• deal with challenging issues quickly and directly
• are clear about expected standards of performance and behaviour
• hold people to account
• give constructive feedback
• aren’t afraid to take action when necessary.

How can I do this?

1.    Find out the facts

Sometimes information will come to you as a rumour. Before acting on rumours, first find out the facts. If you’re going to address a challenging issue, you need accurate information. Start asking questions.

2.    Go to the right person

How you respond depends on the nature of the information. If it’s a performance issue that is appropriate for you to address, discuss it with the person involved. For more serious issues, you may need to talk to your manager, Human Resources or the Integrity Unit.

Always maintain confidentiality and don’t speak to others about the issue unless you have to.

Don’t ask others to pass on messages. It’s important that you speak directly to the person involved or to your manager or the Integrity Unit.

3.    Deliver a clear message

Before approaching someone, be clear about what you’ll say. Be able to state in just a few sentences what you know and why you’re concerned.

• If the person already knows about an issue then talk about your concerns. For example, ‘I’m concerned that you arrived late to work last week. We need to discuss this. When do you have time?’
• Deliver your message clearly and calmly.
• Go from specific facts to general points.
• Keep to the facts.
• Be clear about your motive. Say for example, ‘I’m doing this because…’
• Don’t embellish or use emotion or inflammatory language.
• Don’t make threats.
• Stay calm, especially if the other person isn’t. Return to the facts.
• Help the person to see the consequences their actions have on you, on others and on Metro North Health. For example, you might say ‘This is an issue because…’
• Allow time for the person to absorb your message. They may not accept it initially. In that case, be sure they understand what you’ve said and close the conversation for now.

4.    Choose an appropriate time and place

• Try to have difficult conversations in private.
• Give some advanced warning about what you’re going to discuss. For example, ‘I’m concerned about how xxx is being treated and would like to talk to you about it.’
• If possible, let the person pick the timing and the setting.
• If it’s up to you, choose a relaxed setting and a time when you won’t be rushed.

5.    Propose a solution

Always provide a way forward. Discuss how a person can improve their performance or behaviour and what benefits this would have. Invite them to respond to your suggestions or to propose alternative solutions.

6.    Be kind but firm

You can empathise with a person or situation while still not approving of the behaviour or action. This can be difficult when you’re upset about a situation. Try to separate the event from the person. Focus on the behaviour while respecting the person.

• Be clear about what you expect and why you need to take action.
• Anticipate how a person might respond and prepare your response to theirs.
• Finish on an encouraging, positive note.

7.    Step up

Most people don’t enjoy managing challenging behaviour and it can be tempting to put it off. However, as a manager, you need to step up and endorse Metro North Health values.

• Don’t delay taking action. If you’re not sure your concerns are valid, at least air them and have the conversation. Treat any misinterpretations as an opportunity to learn.
• Think about the consequences of not acting. Problems are likely to continue and worsen. It’s better to endure some short-term pain for long-term gain.
• Remember that you’re acting for the benefit of the organisation, not for personal gain or vengeance.

8.    Balance negative with positive

While you do have to have negative conversations at times, have positive ones when you can. Make the effort to thank people, compliment them, celebrate success, help others and share useful information and resources. Over a period of time, your positive conversations should outweigh your negative ones.

You may find this challenging if you…

• don’t like holding others to account
• avoid conflict and uncomfortable situations
• find it hard to take a tough stance
• feel intimidated by others
• prefer to let others take the lead
• are afraid of being wrong
• find it hard to stay calm and not get emotional
• ignore poor behaviour and practice because you don’t think it’s any of your business.

You may be acting too courageously if you are…

• direct and heavy-handed when addressing issues and giving feedback
• giving too much negative and too little positive feedback
• putting too much emphasis on what’s wrong
• fighting too many battles
• overly critical