| “I stress about stress before there is any stress to stress about.” ~ Unknown In the workplace we often make assumptions about what others are thinking and how they will react in a stressful situation. For example, more reserved individuals may be perceived as unapproachable or disengaged; they need more time to process the scenario and understand the impact. Conflict occurs when there’s a lack of understanding. Let’s look at four ways your employees react to stress and how you can help: 1. Anger and Impatience – Tackling conflict head-on and going rogue. As their manager, you want to respect their problem-solving skills and let them formulate an action plan. This approach acknowledges their contribution and makes them feel like a valuable team member. 2. Lack of focus and shifting blame – Allow them to verbalize their feelings and transfer the “talk” into action. Conduct regular check-ins to provide guidance and feedback, helping them stay on track. 3. Indecisive and Avoidant – Fearing change and ignoring conflict. Allow them time to process and adjust to changes. Validate their feelings and provide hands-on reinforcement when possible. (Overwhelming workload?) 4. Critical and confrontational with others – he desire to be right and view themselves as perfect. Clearly set boundaries and expectations for acceptable behavior. When appropriate, incorporate their ideas into the overall plan. Stress can manifest differently for everyone and will directly impact team dynamics. As managers, it’s key to understand why people react the way they do. Don’t try to “fix” them to meet your needs. Encouraging conversations about stress can lead to valuable feedback for not only the individual’s well-being, but for the team as a whole. ~ Kathy If you would like to learn more tips to manage YOUR stressors, schedule a call.  to: kathy@kmmdisc.comKMM Consulting, 3642 Wellsford Lane, Doylestown, PA 18902, United StatesWant to change your email preferences? Unsubscribe |
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