SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): HR Consultants Struggle with Bad Client Behavior

Lisa Anderson is a senior business executive and founder and president of LMA Consulting Group, Inc., in Claremont, Calif. "In my 20 years of experience both as a VP of operations and as a business consultant across multiple industries and globally, I’ve seen many examples of poor client behavior and I’ve developed a few tactics to deal with it successfully," said Anderson. A few of those tactics include:

• Addressing the facts up front in a respectful manner. "It is amazing how not being afraid to address poor behavior can lead to results," said Anderson.
• Focusing the client conversation on a positive path forward and not leaving room for the client to veer off the path. "I’ve found that if you address the topic with a positive path forward and curb the conversation as such, it can eliminate bad behavior—at least related to the specific client project," she said.
• Demonstrating and modeling positive, productive behavior.