Trying to pacify a disgruntled customer might require the skill of a diplomat, the practised smile of a professional salesperson and the patience of an angel.

In fact most managers would kill to be able to hire staff who can deal with bad tempered folk and tame the wild beast on the telephone who hates to be put on hold and wants an answer `Now!'.

In an ideal world Mr. Grumpy would go away happy, Mrs. Chatty would not feel snubbed because she was interrupted mid-sentence, Mr. Indecisive would be helped to make his mind up and Ms Shy would be able to explain what she wanted.

But ask most managers and they'll tell you these scenarios belong in a dreamworld far away from the trials and tribulations of everyday working life in Bermuda.

But help is finally at hand.

A specially designed course for managers, sales and service personnel, and customer complaints departments is teaching professionals how to deal efficiently with any person, be it a boss or customer.

It may seem like simple common sense, but the basis of the course is learning how to adapt the way people deal with each other according to their character, and helping them to get along better.

According to Jack Harris, senior consultant at Creative Consulting, these chameleon skills of a top diplomat can be learned by everyone.

It is not easy, but once mastered these new-found people skills which are based on empathy will help bring harmony to the workplace, improve prospect/sale ratios and help people get ahead in their careers.

Sharpening Your People Skills is being run by Mr. Harris in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and is very hands-on in its approach to managing difficult situations.

With domineering bosses, inefficient co-workers and difficult customers being facts of daily work life, the course has helped a variety of professionals, from service technicians to small business managers and sales staff.

"People problems surround us in all walks of life,'' said Mr. Harris.

"We hear such complaints as `my job would be sheer joy if it wasn't for my boss'; `this would be a great place to work if wasn't for the staff'; `if we could only get rid of customer x, y and z' and `she is so rude on the phone'.

"Our work at the very least, should bring satisfaction and hopefully even joy.

"More often our work becomes stressful and we can even become miserable.'' According to the Carnegi Foundation, 85 percent of all work-related problems are caused through interaction.'' In the four-part course, Mr. Harris helps each individual identify their own personality style through a comprehensive character test.

Mr. Harris said: "Before you try to understand others, you must understand yourself.

Then you have to develop your versatility and then practise the skills you have learned. No one said it was easy, but it can be done.'' The session breaks society into four basic groups, D for dominance, I for influencing, S for steadiness and C for compliance.

Once the student has discovered what kind of person they are -- and most people are a part mixture of all four with a dominant trait -- they can then look at their weaknesses and strengths.

The class is then asked to look at ways of understanding others.

The first task is to identify which group they belong to and identify these strengths and weaknesses in others.

According to the course, different groups have different needs, desires and priorities, and to work effectively with these people, empathy with each type has to be used.

For a high `D' it is best to be quick and to the point and answer their main question `what are the benefits?'. With an `I', be positive and friendly and answer their question `who else has done this?'. To an `S' be friendly and take time and answer their question `why do you want to change things?' and for a `C' give clear facts and present ideas objectively; their question is `how do you want me to do this?'.

Mr. Harris believes that if you can master the way to empathise with others, you will improve your life, your job and make the people around you happier.

"Your qualifications will only get you so far in any given job. It is your people skills that will get you promoted,'' said Mr. Harris.

"It will even enhance you relationships with your spouses, partners, children, family and friends.'' Creative Consulting's next course in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce is `Rewarding Positive Behaviour'.

For more information contact Creative Consulting on 292 3152 or the Chamber of Commerce.