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Get the Elephant Out of the Room: Outsmart Difficult People at Work

Get the Elephant Out of the Room: Outsmart Difficult People at Work

Chris Webber 100 episodes Latest May 6, 2026

In this practical and powerful podcast series, Christopher Webber reveals the lessons he has learned through a varied and illustrious career: success at work isn’t about what you say—it’s about how you say it. He talks to a variety of people about their experiences of difficult people and shares insights you can use to overcome the challenging people who slow down decisions and create negativity. The podcast accompanies the book, Get the Elephant Out of the Room available on Amazon, eBook and on the website www.gettheelephantout.com. Managers who micromanage, colleagues who self-promote, and customers who push boundaries. Difficult people aren’t just annoying—they’re career roadblocks. But what if you could turn them into stepping stones to success?

Episodes

How to Exceed Your Own Expectations Jun 3, 2026 2894 If you are passionate about developing people to their full potential this is an essential listen. Amazon through their culture, processes and programmes force out ego and politics and develop people. In this episode we hear one of their success stories.  Jenny Schumacher is a Director at Amazon after starting 14 years ago as an Executive Assistant. She did not believe her manager who kept telling
How Predicting the Future Needs to be Your Superpower May 6, 2026 1256 We might not realise it, but when we are discussing plans and strategies with colleagues and customers we are trying to predict the future. People who have authority are people we trust to predict the future accurately    If you are trying to influence others, you need to build your credibility as someone with knowledge that others need to listen to .    In this episode I talk about how and why th
Delivering an Impossible Vision Apr 22, 2026 3285 If you have ever wanted to deliver a strategy that would truly change the performance of your business but were unsure how to start, this episode is for you. Andy Gibson tells us about how he completely transformed a business in Australia. He expanded the category, stopped selling units, started selling fridges and turned a ready-to-drink spirit into a phenomenon.  He challenged perception, built
How to Do Hard Things at Work Apr 8, 2026 1484 Challenging situations are easy to avoid because we can deflect them to other people. But the people we really admire and the moments we are truly proud of are the ones who take personal accountability for doing hard things.  In this episode I talk about what is required to take personal accountability for tough moments and share some lessons we have heard from previous guests.  More About Chris W
Solving an Unsolvable Customer Problem Mar 25, 2026 3005 Great salespeople turn doubters into advocates. In this episode, we learn how it can be done under incredibly challenging circumstances. How can you build trust with a customer who thinks you are exploiting them over price because they have no other options?  That is what Anthony Carter was able to do, despite being unable to cut the price.  He was faced with an angry customer, desperate to get a
How to Drive Loyalty Even in Commodity Sales Mar 10, 2026 2792 How can you build powerful partnerships and drive loyalty in markets where prices should dominate? Michael Lange is a Sales Leader who has excelled in selling commodities for decades.  How? He finds value based on true needs, not just costs. Then he is relentless in ensuring his teams deliver excellence.  In this episode he shares his insights, wisdom and experience in sales and lets us in on the
Surviving a Parental v Adult Onslaught Feb 16, 2026 2295 How to cope when a colleague shouts at you and becomes parental!  In this episode I talk to Mary Gregory who shares her experience from the past.  The lesson is that timing matters, but also that you need to respond with intention, not emotionally.  The patience to allow them to vent and to allow them to exhaust the emotion is a great start. It is important to let them feel heard, but not to allow
The Importance of Grit Dec 17, 2025 2930 Paula Tully is dedicated to creating leaders with intention, but her journey of success is an inspiring one littered with grit and vision. In this episode we discuss the 6 “C’s” that form the heart of her coaching, but we delve into some of the toughest times in her life and share how Paula’s grit and optimism fuelled her through some very tough moments and set her on the path to today. Now she sh
Difficult Performance Management Discussions. Oct 9, 2025 3149 Performance Management. Every leader's responsibility, but not everyone can retain difficult people. Most destroy the motivation of the whole team and their own reputation by mishandling sensitive conversations.  In this episode, I talk to Jose Aguilar about his experiences living and working in different cultures and how he managed a very difficult conversation with a team member who was no longe
Get The Elephant Out Of The Room Book Launch Event Sep 24, 2025 3493 We invited an audience to join us at The Orchard for the launch of my book. In this episode, listen to an exclusive reading of an extract and hear an interview with me, Chris, talking about writing the book and answering audience questions about difficult people at work.  ----more---- Buy my book - Get the Elephant Out of the Room. Outsmart Difficult People at Work I share my experiences and insig
Coping With Early Promotion Sep 3, 2025 2997 Early promotion in a career is not always a blessing. When you are young, self-doubt creeps in, and you have to deal with difficult conversations with colleagues and team members.  In this honest conversation, Helen shares her lessons, and we discuss imposter syndrome, trust, self-confidence and courage.  ----more---- Buy my book - Get the Elephant Out of the Room. Outsmart Difficult People at Wor
Strategic Advice for Digital Doubters Jun 24, 2025 3641     In this special episode I invited an especially chosen panel to discuss the challenges of excellence in digital sales and marketing.   We explore what brands get wrong when trying to sell direct to consumers, we discuss the value of third party sellers and retail partners and we offer our advice for executives debating the importance of digital channels in their growth plans. Panel members: Ia

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