This book will examine at individuals who control, intimate, and manipulate in work, home, family, and social environments, using robust Psychological theory to comprehend and successfully tackle those who exhibit these behaviours. The focus of this book will be to look at general Personality theory together with more specific focus on the Dark Triad of personality traits and, from the Five Factor Model, the domain of Agreeableness vs Antagonism. This approach will build a greater understanding of a much broader form of controlling intimidating and manipulative personality type. The book will include both useable techniques as well as self-reflection exercises the reader can use or pass on to students, clients and service users. This book is based on a programme the author has been teaching for over twelve years to a range of audiences across a variety of roles and has also been highlighted frequently in the press over the past decade.

Martin J Smith is a Senior Lecturer in the social sciences at Nottingham Trent University, UK, and an independent training consultant. He specialises in extreme difficult behaviour and personality issues which go well beyond simply awkward and often highly controlling, intimidating and manipulative. He has over thirty years training experience in communication, interpersonal skills and conflict management. He is also a psychotherapist specialising in the treatment of anxiety, depression, stress, phobias and post traumatic stress disorders with over 23 years clinical experience.

Martin J Smith is a Senior Lecturer in the social sciences at Nottingham Trent University, UK, and an independent training consultant. He specialises in extreme difficult behaviour and personality issues which go well beyond simply awkward and often highly controlling, intimidating and manipulative. He has over thirty years training experience in communication, interpersonal skills and conflict management. He is also a psychotherapist specialising in the treatment of anxiety, depression, stress, phobias and post traumatic stress disorders with over 23 years clinical experience.

1. Introduction - Once upon a time in Nottingham.- 2. Listening to the Alarm Bells.- 3. Emotional Intelligence and Critical Thinking.- 4. CIM personality - What are we talking about?.- 5. An Introduction to Personality theory.- 6. The Dark Triad and the Dark Tetrad.- 7. Other Difficult / Challenging Personality types.- 8. Initial Engagement and Management Strategies for DT and other difficult and challenging personalities.- 9. The CIM control strategies.- 10. Drama / Influence and Impression Management.- 11. Useful Strategies to manage CIM interactions.- 12. Conclusion and some final thoughts.