Giving feedback
- Relax back in your chair and soften your tone
- Uncross your arms and adopt an open posture
- Be present and take a breath
- Give them a moment and give yourself a moment
- Recognise their emotion, “I see you’re angry and I hear what you’re saying. What’s really troubling you here?”
- Don’t feel under pressure to answer and don’t get sucked into their anger
- Simply acknowledge and say what you think without judging or fixing
- Explain that the feedback is important to them and ask, “Is it ok to continue?”
Dealing with gossip and office rumours
- At times people need to look powerful and need to blow off steam. Let it go since it might gradually go away
- HOWEVER, if gossip is an on-going problem then deal with it since it can affect morale and performance. “I understand you aren’t happy and I want my team to be happy at work. What would you like to do about this?”
- Include people in building a positive work environment, and ask “How might you help me build more positivity in the team?”
Speaking like a leader
- Open your mouth only to make something better. Pause before speaking and ask yourself the following:-
- Is it useful?
- Is it truthful?
- Is it relevant?
- Is it positive and forward thinking?
- Is it solution orientated?
- Is it sincere or manipulative?
- Are you hogging the floor or have others contributed to the debate?
- Be more intrigued to listen than speak
- Don’t express all your feelings and act with others in mind
- Ask questions and test your assumptions before giving an opinion or making a decision