Recently I participated in an informative and enjoyable Luxoft training session on “The Art of Public Speaking,” and I would like to share with you a useful framework we learned about that day. The framework identifies several patterns of destructive behavior that one can encounter when taking part in meetings, making presentations, or speaking in public - in other words, when dealing with groups of people.

The framework presented on the training does the following:
A person exhibiting this behavioral pattern might act in the following way(s):
People demonstrate “Will for Power” behavior by the following:
The “will for power” will call forth a response from you of wanting to force the person to do something.
How to respond:
This type of behavior is exhibited through the following:
How to identify it:
One can identify this behavioral pattern by the following signs:
Summary Table:

The framework presented on the training does the following:
- Groups patterns of destructive behavior into 4 categories
- Provides clear parameters for each category
- Suggests an appropriate ameliorative approach for each category.
A person exhibiting this behavioral pattern might act in the following way(s):
- Do some side activities involving a group to see what he/she is engaged in
- Be on his or her phone or laptop, and constantly comment on what he or she sees or is reading there
- Ask questions not related to the topic at hand
- Tell anecdotes, narrate long, amusing stories, etc.
- If you feel annoyed when dealing with the person during an event, it means he/she is demonstrating “will for attention.”
- The obvious first answer is, give the person the attention he/she needs
- Ask questions
- Inquire about the person’s opinion on the topic at hand
- Emphasize his or her input to the conversation or situation
- Directly explain to the person what you think he or she is doing
People demonstrate “Will for Power” behavior by the following:
- Arguing with the person holding an event
- Showing strong signs of disagreement, or expressing disagreement directly, with a speaker
- Interrupting the person in charge
- Questioning authority, etc.
The “will for power” will call forth a response from you of wanting to force the person to do something.
How to respond:
- Agree with the person
- Tell the person that his/her opinion can be also correct
- Assume that your approach can have drawbacks: there is always room for improvement.
- Ask his or her advice or an action plan
- Share more responsibility and obligations with them
- Delegate important activities to them
This type of behavior is exhibited through the following:
- Insisting that he or she is not able do something, is not skilled or suitable for a task
- Constantly requesting assistance
- Avoiding responsibility and obligations
How to identify it:
- You feel a strong urge or need to help a person when he or she exhibits the above-mentioned behavior.Steps to take:
- Encourage them to move forward
- Reassure the person that she has necessary the skills and knowledge to do the task
- Use motivation and reinforcement to get them to make the first step toward the goal
- Monitor the situation to make sure that he is able to manage the situation using his own resources.
One can identify this behavioral pattern by the following signs:
- The person is constantly making jokes at your expense
- Picking apart your words
- Trying to humiliate you or others, etc.
- If you feel pain and distress when dealing with the person during an event, you are dealing with someone exhibiting the “will for revenge.”
- Apologize and say you are sorry. It’s possible that you inadvertently neglected or offended the person, even if you can’t remember specifically how.
Summary Table:
Pattern | Identification | To Do |
Will for Power | You want to force | Agree |
Will for Escape | You want to help | Encourage |
Will for Attention | You feel annoyed | Give attention |
Will for Revenge | You feel pain | Say sorry |