A leader with a direct report who is, she says, the most defensive person she’s ever known, devotes an entire coaching session to gathering tools to help her cope.  All the tools and ideas and scripts in this episode are in an easy-to-understand infographic. Download it for free <a href='https://essentialcomm.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/EC-Managing-Defensive-Employees.pdf'>here.</a>  To work on “deserving” dive into <a href='https://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319/'>The Four Agreements.</a> Dig into more tools for managing defensive people in our <a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast'>podcast library</a> in these three categories:<a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/?_sft_post_tag=communication-skills#search-content'>Communication Skills</a><a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/?_sft_post_tag=management-skills#search-content'>Management Skills</a><a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/?_sft_post_tag=relationship-building#search-content'>Relationship Building</a> Additional episodes you could listen to are:<a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/7-steps-to-stop-emotional-hijacks/'>216 - 7 Steps to Stop Emotional Hijacks</a><a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/be-impeccable-with-your-word/'>60 - Be Impeccable with Your Word </a><a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/handling-defensive-behaviors/'>35 - Handling Defensive Behaviors</a><a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/managing-bad-behavior/'>173 - Managing Bad Behavior</a><a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/managing-disruptive-executives/'>138 - Managing Disruptive Executives</a><a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/psychological-safety/'>198 - Psychological Safety</a> Additional tools and resources are in our monthly email. Sign up <a href='https://essentialcomm.com/newsletter/'>here</a>. Curious about coaching? Shoot me an email. <a href='mailto:tom@essentialcomm.com?subject=contact%20from%20show%20notes'>tom@essentialcomm.com.</a> All our free infographics are in the <a href='https://essentialcomm.com/tools/'>Essential Tools bin.</a> Your reviews help the show continue as an ad-free podcast.  Let us know how we can support you.Until next time, thanks!From <a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast'>The Look &amp; Sound of Leadership</a> team

<description>&lt;p&gt;A leader with a direct report who is, she says, the most defensive person she’s ever known, devotes an entire coaching session to gathering tools to help her cope. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;All the tools and ideas and scripts in this episode are in an easy-to-understand infographic. Download it for free &lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/EC-Managing-Defensive-Employees.pdf'&gt;here.&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To work on “deserving” dive into &lt;a href='https://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319/'&gt;The Four Agreements.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dig into more tools for managing defensive people in our &lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast'&gt;podcast library&lt;/a&gt; in these three categories:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/?_sft_post_tag=communication-skills#search-content'&gt;Communication Skills&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/?_sft_post_tag=management-skills#search-content'&gt;Management Skills&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/?_sft_post_tag=relationship-building#search-content'&gt;Relationship Building&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Additional episodes you could listen to are:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/7-steps-to-stop-emotional-hijacks/'&gt;216 - 7 Steps to Stop Emotional Hijacks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/be-impeccable-with-your-word/'&gt;60 - Be Impeccable with Your Word &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/handling-defensive-behaviors/'&gt;35 - Handling Defensive Behaviors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/managing-bad-behavior/'&gt;173 - Managing Bad Behavior&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/managing-disruptive-executives/'&gt;138 - Managing Disruptive Executives&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast/psychological-safety/'&gt;198 - Psychological Safety&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Additional tools and resources are in our monthly email. Sign up&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/newsletter/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;here&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt;.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Curious about coaching? Shoot me an email. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href='mailto:tom@essentialcomm.com?subject=contact%20from%20show%20notes'&gt;&lt;b&gt;tom@essentialcomm.com.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;All our free infographics are in the &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/tools/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Essential Tools bin.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Your reviews help the show continue as an ad-free podcast. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let us know how we can support you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Until next time, thanks!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href='https://essentialcomm.com/podcast'&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Look &amp;amp; Sound of Leadership&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;team &lt;/p&gt;</description>

A leader with a direct report who is, she says, the most defensive person she’s ever known, devotes an entire coaching session to gathering tools to help her cope.    All the tools and ideas and scripts in this episode are in an easy-to-understand infographic. Download it for free here.    To work on “deserving” dive into The Four Agreements.   Dig into more tools for managing defensive people in our podcast library in these three categories: Communication Skills Management Skills R...

The Look & Sound of Leadership

How to Manage Defensive People

How to Manage Defensive People

Description