Transcript Dealing With Difficult People

Dispute Resolution
Do you experience
anger, anxiety or stress because
of a difficult person in your Region?
Have you met this person?
4/10/09
Dealing with Difficult People
3
What are the factors that make
people difficult?
Difficult People Usually:
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Know it all
Want it done their way or else
Are irrational
Think they are special or want special treatment
Only work alone and are controlling
Are disrespectful to AYSO and its philosophies
Want to be in charge
Always find something to complain about
Are verbally abusive, intimidating ,or bullying
Deal with gossip or politics rather than facts

Activity
• Give examples of how these
different groups can be
difficult.
Parents on the sideline of
games
Referees/Coaches
Regional Board Members
My Area Director
and
Section Director
What can you do?
These tips will help……
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Keep it in perspective
Don’t be defensive
Look for the lesson you can learn
Make sure the right person is handling the
problem
• Use the tools that AYSO provides in these
difficult situations
More Tips
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Be positive and patient
Focus on the problem, NOT the person
Keep an open mind
Try to understand the other person’s point
of view
• Seek the other person’s ideas
• End on a positive note
Don’t …..
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React immediately; on emotional high
Take it personally
Cut the other person off
Disrespect the other person
Raise your voice
Pre-judge people
Regions should seek to resolve
all disputes involving people in
an amicable fashion.
Compromise is preferable to
more severe forms of resolution.
Remember that volunteers need to
be approved each year. Your Region
can choose not to appoint a Coach
or a Referee without having to go
through due process.
Almost all problems in the Region
can be addressed without
the need for a formal process.
However, for severe problems
that cannot be resolved without
implementation of formal discipline,
a formalized due process procedure
should be followed.
Lower level remedies may bring many day-today problems to a happier end if they are
identified early and handled fairly. These
remedies include:
Evaluation
Additional education/training
Additional supervision
Mentoring
Counseling
Behavioral and performance contracts
Restitution (financial and in-kind service)
Warnings
When it is determined that a non-executive member
involved in the Region needs to be disciplined or that
his or her participation in the Region should be
limited, suspended or terminated, the Regional
Commissioner should ensure that the procedures used
provide for appropriate fairness and due process.
Due process requires that the person who is the
subject of the potential discipline be provided with:
(1) notice and
(2) an opportunity to be heard.
AYSO provides all sorts of
support to help you with Due
Process.
Study the Flow Chart
Go to ayso.org and read
through the Due Process
procedures
Contact your Area Director and
get advice about the process.
Don’t give specifics.
(The AD might have to be
involved in the appeal process)
Run a quality AYSO program
and your problems will be few.