Your client just sent you a nasty email – blaming you for a mistake you didn’t make.

You found three employees slacking off in the break room – instead of doing their jobs.

Your sales team fell short of their target – again.

When things go wrong at work, it’s natural to become frustrated and lose your cool. But as a manager, you have a responsibility to keep your composure, even when the going gets tough.

Like it or not, your employees take their cues from your behavior. If you blow up when problems occur, they’ll think it’s okay to do the same! If you maintain a calm character at work, however, your staff will follow suit.

So when you feel your blood pressure rising, use these tips from Exact Staff to handle tough situations effectively:

Resolve to channel your emotions constructively.

In a heated situation, you can choose to control your emotions or to let them control you. Obviously, the better choice as a leader is to deliberately channel strong emotions effectively, using them to inspire your team, drive your passion for your work, and fuel your own performance. Make a conscious decision to pay attention to your emotional triggers, and then do whatever it takes (counting to ten, walking away from the situation, focusing on slowing your breathing) to prevent a blow-up.

Resist making assumptions.

In business, as in life, there are typically two sides to every story. When you’re frustrated or upset, however, it can be tough to see a situation objectively. So allow the other party to present his side of the story and speak without being interrupted. True, it does take considerable restraint. But by allowing him to be heard, you’ll increase the likelihood that he’ll buy into the solution you ultimately develop.

Engage in active listening.

While the other individual is speaking, don’t tune him out and merely allow him to vent. Pay attention to what he’s saying, asking relevant questions and paraphrasing his story to ensure full understanding. In the process, you’ll give the other party time to defuse his emotions and regain his composure.

Nip problems in the bud.

It’s better to confront a small problem early than to wait and see if it goes away on its own. If you discuss a problem or troublesome employee behavior when it’s just beginning to develop into a pattern, you can address it calmly, without releasing a wave of emotional build-up.

Stressed at work?

Need employees or temporary staff members who perform well under pressure? Give Exact Staff a call. With a national presence and a full complement of staffing and placement solutions, we can keep your organization running smoothly – and help everyone keep their cool at work.