Hello Reader,

Last week's email on difficult people at work got way more replies than usual, so I wanted to come back to it - this time with a relationship that's trickier than a coworker or a boss, because you can't just document your way out of it or wait for HR to step in.

The difficult client. This is a very common call I get from leaders - what do you do when it's not a coworker being difficult, it's the client? HR can't easily step in, because the person causing the problem isn't internal. And in some industries, a certain amount of difficult clientele just comes with the territory - it's practically baked into the profile.

Most companies already have a process for this: report it, document it, escalate to a manager, wait for resolution. Reasonable on paper. But it can take weeks. Sometimes months. What's usually missing isn't the process, it's the moment in between. What does someone actually say, right then, without losing their composure or their professionalism, so they're not just enduring it until someone above them finally steps in?

That gap - between "this just happened" and "someone senior addressed it" - is where morale can erode. It's the piece I've started digging into more: giving frontline teams language for that moment itself, not just a policy for after it.

From the Training Room

​The Art of the Business Table Highlight Reel​
​I recently hosted this stunning event at VERITY, Toronto's private women's club - an intimate, hands-on workshop on business dining strategy, from conversation management to wine protocols to handling the check with confidence. The goal: never let the table distract from the business happening around it.

It doesn't feel like it yet, but the holiday season is closer than you think - and with it, a lot of client dinners, holiday parties, and high-stakes tables where your team's the one representing the company. If you want your people walking in prepared instead of guessing which fork to use, now's the time to book an "Art of the Business Table" session before the season gets away from us. Reply and let's get something on the calendar.

(special thanks to Truly Studios for the beautiful video)

On the Podcast This Week:

I recently sat down with Amy Au - leadership coach, tech sector veteran, and author of Evolution of Leadership in STEM. Amy unpacks what that question "Where are you from?" does to someone who's called Canada home for decades, and what it means to lead - and belong - when your identity gets questioned in professional spaces.

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One More Thing...

Have you ever actually visited our website? A lot of people on this list haven't, and there's more there than what shows up in your inbox each week: our training programs, past podcast episodes, and more.

Difficult people don't go away - but the right move for each one gets a lot clearer once you know which kind you're dealing with. Here's hoping this week's a little easier.

Warmly,

Trina Boos
​
Founder & CEO
Boost Academy of Excellence
​boostacademyofexcellence.com​