Leaders sometimes are caught in the middle of conflict between employees and must take on the responsibility of managing emotionally charged situations to produce a positive outcome, according to Harvard Business Review.
Aside from conflict, there are other situations where emotions may run high—when a leader must deliver bad news; when a customer is frustrated; or when an employee receives bad performance feedback. These tense moments can stress out even the most experienced leaders.
Harvard Business Review offers the following strategies to help navigate emotionally charged moments successfully.
- Create a mental blueprint. Visualizing and mentally rehearsing an event can help enhance confidence. Consider how you want yourself and others involved to feel at the end of the meeting or interaction. Then, picture the details—such as the room or the seating—and walk through each moment, rehearsing how you will start the conversation, navigate tense moments and steer toward a resolution. Identify likely challenges you may encounter and how you will respond. After mentally rehearsing, take note of key takeaways and talking points.
- Focus on the positives. Before a difficult meeting, focus on gratitude to boost your emotional resilience and strengthen your sense of connection with others. For example, if you need to give tough feedback to an employee, reflect on what you appreciate about the person. Reframing challenges in a positive way can reduce stress and lead to a more refreshed state of mind. Consider the positive outcomes that might emerge from the meeting.
- Modify the situation. Situation modification can help you reduce the emotional intensity of an interaction by purposefully adjusting the situation or your approach to create the conditions for a more productive conversation. It can help to consider “the Five W’s” of the situation: who, what, where, when and why. For example: Who needs to be there? What needs to be shared and what does not? Where should the meeting take place, and what is the optimal time? Why is this discussion important?
- Build in buffer zones. Leaders often have back-to-back meetings, but it is important to set aside 10 minutes before your meeting to mentally prepare so you can be focused and composed. You can use the time to review key points and get grounded. Take another 10 minutes after the meeting to process and reset.
