Occasional unpleasant encounters are an inevitable consequence of working with a large group of people. This week we’ll conclude our series on handling negative situations in the workplace with two valuable tips for addressing someone who you are upset with:
Hold Your Tongue: When someone has upset you, it’s natural to want to address the situation immediately. While you certainly don’t want to bottle up negative feelings and allow them to fester, taking some time to think through the situation can help avoid ugly confrontations. Take one or two minutes to think about what you want to say to the other person and more importantly, what exactly you hope to accomplish. Focus on this objective rather than your immediate feelings, and you stand much greater chance of solving the issue at hand and avoiding an unpleasant conflict.
Take a Different Point of View: There are two sides to every situation. Odds are that whoever it is you want to confront may have a different take on the situation and possibly feel that you’re at fault as well. Take some time to honestly examine the situation from the other party’s viewpoint. Better yet, ask them what their take on the situation is, and listen with an open mind. By taking the other person’s point of view into consideration, you may be able to turn a potential conflict into an open dialogue.
Do you want to improve your communication skills and learn how to make the most of your professional interactions? Give us a call at 212-308-7725 or visit us on the web at www.corporatespeechsolutions.com and let our team of corporate speech-language pathologists help you turn your speech into your most powerful professional tool. Don’t live in NYC? No problem! Our services are Skype ready, so CSS can help you improve your communication from anywhere in there world.
Don’t forget: March 14 CSS Founder and President, Jayne Latz, will be giving a presentation for the American Business Women’s Association on Communicating with Power, Purpose, and Confidence. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity: check our events page for details! http://www.corporatespeechsolutions.com/events/communicating-power-purpose-confidence/