Recently, companies spend huge resources of time and money on the development of their employees. However, the destructive behavior of some employees negates all their efforts. Be it the growth of the digital world, the increase in the number of virtual and remote teams or the leak of personal data that occurs on different social networks, people prefer not to solve problems, but to jump from a ship.
Fears of retaliation or denial often prevent people from talking to their colleagues at work. According to Vital Smarts, every failed conversation costs American business companies at least $ 7,500. While many bosses feel calm, managing multi-million dollar projects, the prospect of encountering a negative emotional reaction from employees literally drives them into a stupor. This is really far from always pleasant.
But the absence of these conversations creates problems in the team that affect the morale of employees, their motivation and practical results. When you avoid directly contacting a person, conditions are created that interfere with the development of the company. In other words, unpleasant conversations with people are unpleasant, but they are necessary. Fortunately, there are seven ways to communicate securely that allow you to express dissatisfaction with an environmentally friendly way.
Pacify the ego
People often wait until emotions settle down before starting a conversation. But the truth is that the longer you avoid conflict, the more emotionally charged it becomes. Avoidance model is not the behavior of an adult and responsible person. Even if at first the cause of the disagreement may be a small problem that could be stopped at the initial stages, over time it turns into a real snowball.
Try to speak honestly with employees immediately after a conflict arises. Do not hope that the problem will be solved by itself. If you add this behavior to a habit, you will notice how much easier your life has become.
Get ready for a conversation
Before any conversation, it is important to conduct a little preparation. Try to imagine all the potentially difficult situations that may arise during a conversation. Also come up with questions that will help you understand how the situation has developed and what role other employees play in it.
Do not push to shame
Try to understand what the motives of the employee were. People rarely harm themselves or others intentionally, a certain reason is hidden under any act. You should try to find out what it is and solve the problem.
In any case, empathy is always more productive than blaming and guilty. Start the conversation with a short conversation on an abstract topic and do not go about emotions. You cannot be angry and reflect at the same time.
Email Communication
Many bosses postpone reprimands, ignoring employee behavior, which over time leads to emotional collapse. If you are afraid that you will not be able to control yourself, then move the discussion to the Internet format. Emails are impersonal, and you can always erase what you wrote.
Empathy
Take the time to take the place of another person and find out who is to blame for the situation. Your compassion reduces the likelihood that an employee will hide the truth. Also, be careful in choosing a place and time for a conversation.
For conversation it is best to choose a neutral territory that is protected from prying ears and eyes. Choose your words carefully and remember your body language. Surely you know about your emotional triggers. As soon as you feel that one of them worked and you lose your temper, take a break.
Deal with your emotions
It is important that your emotions do not affect the course of the conversation. Think about how you feel before, after, and during a conversation. If you notice that communication is beginning to get you crazy, slow down and speak more meaningfully. Pauses in the conversation will allow you to gather your thoughts and choose the right words.
Work out a joint solution
When both sides talked out and discussed the problem, we can proceed to work out a solution. It is important to immediately agree on the results. So that subsequently there will be no misunderstandings, send the employee an email, which will briefly list all the points about which you have reached an agreement. This will help to avoid confusion and set everyone in a serious mood.
Justice
Before you reprimand, you need to remember what you punished other employees for. If the rest of such behavior was dismissed, then there is nothing left, as well as looking at this situation through your fingers. Otherwise, people may begin to say that you have “objectionable” employees. There is one justice at all, and there can be no exceptions.