Managing teams within an organisation is a tricky undertaking and having to deal with a challenging manager makes the process even more difficult. Add to this the fact that you may have inherited a manager or management team rather than coached them from the start, and you have a rather daunting task ahead of you.

Managers become difficult when they are angry and frustrated about something or somebody. This also happens when they have become inefficient in a particular job role. It is therefore important to intervene as a leader and guide them through difficult times or get them back on track towards achieving the organisations mission statement. It is a process that will have to be approached with great caution.

There are several steps that can be taken to make it easier to coach difficult managers, many of which work equally well with employees.

The first step is to build a great working relationship with your managers, after all, we spend one third of our lives at work, and therefore, if you can create a positive and valued environment for your managers then everyone will gain. Encourage them to talk about interests and pastimes that are important to them and this will create a common communication channel and build sustainable trust.

You can build trust by setting clear standards for your managers and making it possible for them to get involved in the process of achieving the organisational goals. It’s advisable to formulate a plan whereby your managers have the opportunity to excel in an area that they are good at. Establish a mechanism to ensure that these standards are met but one that allows flexibility if certain elements don’t work out. If this is the case then approach your managers and ask for their help and input. That way they become more involved and are likely to participate in the formulating of useful strategies that can lead to the success of the organisation.

It is often overlooked or taken for granted but praising your managers whenever they attain targets or when they achieve a certain level of productivity is essential to their emotional well-being. This will go a long way in transforming their behaviour and attitude towards achieving positive results for themselves and the organisation.

With regards to unacceptable behaviour, it is important to be firm and strict but to ensure any corrective measures are not taken in front of their peers as it will intimidate them and could result in a conflict or argument which could strain the relationship with your manager. Difficult managers are no different from difficult employees and you can apply these strategies to effectively coach a difficult employee within the organisation.