Dealing with Difficult Behaviour

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DealingwithDifficult Behaviour
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Examples of Difficult Behaviour

• Examples of Difficult Behaviour
• Aggressive/abusive behaviour
• Disruptive behaviour
• Bored, apathetic and disinterested
• Strange/bizarre behaviour
• Non-attendance
• Non Compliance
• Scapegoating/victimisation
• Lack of personal hygiene
• Personality conflicts - Which aspects?

1.0 Key issue Need to clarify what
specifically about the behaviour is difficult for
you to manage.
Specific issues - things about this behaviour
that make it difficult for me to manage 1.
.. 2. .. 3.
..
Practical Action Section
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Potential Reasons for Behaviour

• 2.0 Are you aware of any issues this person is
  currently facing?
• 1. ..
• 2. ..
• 3. ..

• Underlying Causes of
• Difficult Behaviour
• Dont want to be there
• Disability/health problems, eg. brain injury,
  psych illness, diabetes
• Emotionally upset eg. Sad, angry, grieving
• Inappropriate social skills, eg. Different
  culture, low self-awareness
• Low self-esteem
• Just having a bad day

• Practical Action Section

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Recognising your own responses

• Our Emotional Baggage
• Early life experience
• - Unresolved anger, grief and loss
• - Our own prejudices
• Personality style
• Professional insecurities
• Work stress
• Home pressures and concerns
• Just having a bad day

3.1 Undoing your buttons.. Our reactions to
emotions displayed by others can reveal a great
deal about our own sensitivities. These
sensitivities, otherwise known as buttons, hot
spots, triggers or Achilles heel, cause us to
respond ineffectively to certain people and
situations.
By completing the exercise below, you can gain
some insight into your sensitivities and begin to
rationalise them so they dont interfere with
your relationships with others. The recipe is as
follows When someone is ________________, I
feel __________________ and I respond by
____________________________. Do this
specifically for the persons whos behaviour you
are struggling with. Complete the sentences after
inserting the appropriate word. Eg. When
someone is criticising me, I feel hurt and
picked-on and I respond by sulking and not
talking to them. (words could include rude,
unhappy, silent, upset sad, angry, depressed
etc.) After completing the statements examine the
irrational beliefs (see Popular Irrational
Beliefs) behind them and begin to consciously
reject and challenge them whenever you find
yourself in a particular situations.
Practical Action Section
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Popular Irrational Beliefs
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Recognising your own responses - The person you
have most control over is you!

• Managing Yourself
• Know your buttons or triggers
• Refer on
• Recognise youre aroused/upset
• Consciously calm and relax yourself
• Take time to choose your response
• Get another perspective and/or debrief
• Deal with your feelings
• Get over it!

3.2 You are most responsible for managing
yourself. Once you are aware of your patterns of
responding to your difficult behaviour person,
decide which patterns are helpful and which are
not.
My Current Response patterns that are
helpful 1. 2. 3. 4.

My Current Response patterns that are
unhelpful 1. 2. 3.
4.
Practical Action Section
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Prevention and Early Intervention

• Prevention
• Make environment comfortable and program
  interesting
• Explore students motivation to be in the group
  (especially tutorials)
• Establish group rules and contracts - boundaries
• Involve participants in the decision making
• Establish a positive relationship and encourage
  relationships in the group - modelling

• 4.1 Checklist for Training/Waiting Area
• Light and ability to control light
• Ventilation - avoid stuffiness and draughts
• Free of air pollution - fume, dust etc
• Room temperature - 20 to 26 degrees Celsius
• Quiet
• Desk space for each person - one desk or work
  station each or 900mm space minimum if working
  side by side
• Comfortable seating (stable, firmly upholstered)
  if adjustable, encourage students to adjust to
  suit.
• Circulation space
• Access to toilets
• Access to refreshments
• Location to whiteboards, projector screens.
• Check these things as a minimum.

Practical Action Section
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Prevention and Early Intervention
4.2 Boundaries The task of the
lecturer/general staff is to provide training and
support services related to employment, education
and training. It is not their responsibility to
act as a counsellor or therapist. Every person
has a right to express anger in socially
appropriate ways. The lecturer/general staff has
the right to manage the boundaries within which
such expression can occur within the training
situation. If the expression of an emotion by an
individual affects the successful participation
of them or other participants then the
lecturer/general staff has the right to set
limits. Lecturers/general staff have a
responsibility to improve their own emotion
management skills.

• Prevention
• Accept that it is OK to express feelings
• Listen to and acknowledge students feelings and
  concerns
• Behaviour observation
• Be consistent in applying rules and boundaries
• Re-assess, update
• Reward positive behaviour and ignore non-damaging
  negative
• Model appropriate behaviour

Identify the boundaries that are clear for you in
interacting with students. Do these differ from
other staff in your department?
Clear Boundaries 1. 2. 3.

Variations on boundaries 1. 2.
3.
Practical Action Section
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Initial Techniques for Responding to Difficult
Behaviour
5.1 Good Communications Skills Developing these
skills is vital in controlling difficult
situations, calming people down, and building
trust and respect. Do not underestimated the
power of non verbal communication - face the
person, look them in the eyes, appropriate body
posture, voice tone and facial expression. MOST
communication occurs through these skills! Use
active listening FIRST and then throughout -
repeat their concern to make sure you understand.
Clarify. Ask for more information. Apologise for
the situation and state you want to help. Explain
options available and summarise actions to be
taken - yours and theirs. Avoid fight starters
eg. but, always, never, you End pleasantly if
possible.

• Keep yourself and other students safe (May need
  Security to intervene)
• Dont add to the angst stay calm, be discreet
• Ignore negative, non-damaging behaviour
• Communicate your concern clearly. Acknowledge the
  persons feelings.
• Refer back to contracts made earlier
• Dont issue ultimatums
• Provide the opportunity for time out or a private
  chat
• Assess the impact on others. Seek advice if
  necessary.

Identify your common initial reaction. What one
thing do you do well? What one thing would you
like to change?
Do Well 1.
Like to Change 1.
Practical Action Section
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Follow up after an incident

• Documenting the specifics of the incident.
  Determine the seriousness.
• Options for action
• University ordinances/policy
• Referral to line manager
• Meeting to develop behaviour agreement
• further training and support for staff

6.1 Sweeping under the carpet usually just means
a growing dust pile!
Take time to familiarise yourself with the
ordinances and policies of the University
relating to behaviour problems. See link See
also the guidelines for informal meetings and
behaviour agreements that follow.
Practical Action Section
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Guidelines for an informal meeting

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Guidelines for an informal meeting

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Guidelines for an informal meeting

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Sample Behaviour Agreement

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Self care issues and other support available
7.1 Dealing with difficult behaviour can be
emotionally tiring. Caring for yourself during
this time is vital to the effective management of
the situation.

• Recognise the effect an interaction has on you
• Allow yourself recovery time
• Be aware of things that help you to recover
  effectively and quickly
• Be available to support others who may have been
  through a difficult interaction where possible
• Access other helping agencies/support available
  to you
• staff counselling
• supervisor
• HR
• Student Services

Develop your self awareness by listing the ways
that dealing with difficult behaviour affects
you Physically.... Emotionally...
.. Behaviourally.. Ways to care for
yourself 1. 2. 3.
Practical Action Section
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A Summary Master Plan