A business consultant has some good advice for funeral directors who find they are dealing with difficult people on occasion.
“All of us would probably be considered difficult to deal with occasionally. But when a person is dealing with a loss or is grieving, they are more vulnerable. Topics that might ordinarily be safe can become landmines during times of emotional turmoil,” said Emily Ballance, MEd, LPC, Certified Professional Speaker. “It’s a time when we need to offer each other compassion, patience and support.”
Ballance will present a continuing education seminar for funeral directors on Thursday, Dec. 6, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Honeycutt Center, Room 124, 600 McLean St., in Laurinburg.
The seminar, entitled, “Dealing with Annoying, Irritating and Frustrating People at Work and Beyond,” is open to members of the funeral profession. It is being sponsored by Richmond Community College and has been approved by the North Carolina Board of Funeral Service for five hours of continuing education credit for funeral directors.
Registration in advance is strongly encouraged, but participants will also be able to register at the door. Tuition is $65. For more information or to register, contact Amanda Dixon, Director of Workforce and Economic Development at 910-410-1848 or akdixon@richmondcc.edu.
“In this seminar, I’ll talk about how to communicate clearly, how to avoid getting caught up in another person’s intensity, and how to use specific phrases that help de-escalate tense situations,” said Ballance. “We’ll look at how we can support each other, because we’re all human and under stress, we all occasionally misdirect our frustration.”
Ballance, also a Licensed Professional Counselor, often speaks at the Richmond Community College Small Business Center in Hamlet and at other Small Business Centers throughout the North Carolina Community College System. She also presents keynotes on positive humor and workshops on generations, communication, leadership, networking, customer service and wellness at conferences, events and meetings across the country.
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