Dealing with an irate colleague or a last-minute demanding request from a more senior member of staff can be a challenge, especially in a fast-paced work environment. It is crucial to respond strategically to these situations in order to maintain your executive presence and self-control, as well as to preserve workplace dynamics, as well as your reputation.
Remove Emotional Involvement
The first step in responding strategically is to remove any emotional involvement. It can be difficult to remain calm when you are feeling frustrated or angry, but it is essential to do so in order to avoid making the situation worse.
One way to remove emotional involvement is by taking a step back and assessing the situation objectively. Ask yourself what the colleague or senior member of staff wants and why they are making the request. This will help give you context and you might gain a better understanding of the situation. With this detail and context, you can respond in a more rational manner.
It can also be helpful to give yourself time to cool off before responding. Some people use the “24 hour rule” before responding to that request, which is great if you have the luxury of time, but in many cases, if it is urgent or timely, you need to be responsive. If possible, take a walk for 5 minutes or do some deep breathing exercises. Alternately, it could be a good time to close out other emails and separate yourself from the request. This will help you clear your mind and calm your nerves, so that you can respond in a thoughtful and measured way.
Be Cool, Calm, and Stoic
Once you have taken the time to calm down, it is important to be cool, calm, and stoic in your response. This will helps maintain your reputation for being cool under fire, maintain your executive presence and demonstrate your self-control.
Speak in a clear and concise manner, avoiding any inflammatory language or gestures. ALBEIT SOMETIMES DIFFICULT. Do not take the bait. Use a calm tone of voice and if this is an in person discussion, maintain eye contact to show that you are engaged and focused on the situation at hand. Additionally, it is important to listen actively to the colleague or senior member of staff, showing that you understand their perspective and are taking their needs into consideration.
Offer Solutions
In your response, it is important to be solution-focused. Be open to the colleague or senior member of staff’s ideas and suggestions, and offer solutions that will help address their concerns. This shows that you are proactive and willing to work together to resolve the situation.
For example, if a colleague is upset with a project deadline, you could offer to rearrange your schedule to allocate more time to the project. If a senior member of staff is making a last-minute request, you could suggest alternative solutions that are feasible and within your capabilities.
Avoid a Quick, Emotional, Egotistical Response
On the other hand, a quick, emotional, egotistical response can be damaging to workplace dynamics and your reputation. You CAN manage your response. Keep in mind there ARE consequences to losing control of your response, whether verbal, physical or by email. Quick, emotional, egotistical responses can escalate the situation and cause further conflict, damaging your professional relationships and potentially causing harm to your career.
For instance, if a colleague makes a critical remark, it is best to avoid retaliating with a snarky comment. Instead, take a deep breath and respond in a calm and professional manner. Similarly, if a senior member of staff makes a request that you feel is unreasonable, it is important to avoid getting defensive. Instead, ask for clarification and offer alternative solutions that are feasible and within your capabilities.
Maintain executive presence
In conclusion, responding strategically to an irate colleague or a last-minute demanding request from a senior member of staff is crucial to maintaining an executive presence and self-control, as well as preserving workplace dynamics and your reputation. By removing your emotions, giving yourself time to cool off, being cool, calm, and stoic in your response, and offering solutions, you can handle these challenging situations with grace and professionalism. This strategy in managing your response can be applied no matter what level you attain in a business or team.