From the course: Communicating with Civility and Respect at Work

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Learn strategies to diffuse tension and strong emotions

Learn strategies to diffuse tension and strong emotions

From the course: Communicating with Civility and Respect at Work

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Learn strategies to diffuse tension and strong emotions

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- Let's say you're in a meeting and someone criticizes an idea you're passionate about, you feel your frustration rising, and before you know it, you're on the defensive. It's easy to let emotions take over, but doing so often leads to negative outcomes. In fact, responding impulsively might damage your relationship or prevent you from achieving your goals. Before responding, take the following steps to calm yourself down. First, take a second to breathe, or even count to four. When emotions run high, your first steps should be to pause. This brief moment can stop you from reacting impulsively and give you a chance to regain control of the situation. Then acknowledge your feelings. Take a moment to identify your emotions, whether it's frustration, anger, or disappointment. Acknowledging your emotions is the first step towards managing them. You could even say out loud, "I'm feeling frustrated, but I want to focus on the issue at hand and I'm going to stay calm." This shows that you're…

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