Hello, I'm Ken Lear.
Chaos and anxiety
are, unfortunately, sometimes just the nature of business. For many people, the
first reaction to something bad or stressful happening at work is to respond in
an equally stressful way. But this sets a bad example for other employees—and probably
unnecessarily increases their own stress levels as well. No matter how many bad
thoughts may be swimming through your brain, when you’re the boss, it’s important
to remain calm and not let the negativity show.
Staying calm sets
a good example for those around you and will make things easier for everyone
involved. Whether your boss criticized a report or a client asked for something
that will require working well into the evening – stay calm so that you can carry on.
In the midst of
chaos, here are a few steps for staying calm:
Take a Break
While it may seem
like the last thing to do if you are in a hurry, sometimes taking 5 minutes to
cool off and rest your brain is more beneficial than those 5 minutes of working
would have been. Try stepping outside and walking around the block or grabbing
a quick coffee – make sure to get a change of scenery and a little blood
flowing to clear your mind.
For more information about Ken Lear, check out his profile on CrunchBase.
Present Bad News Calmly
If something
horrible has happened at work that has to be communicated to other employees,
speak calmly and deliberately. Running into someone’s office and blurting out
the bad news will only cause more chaos. Take a few minutes to review what has
happened and determine what needs to happen next. Your employees are more
likely to sit down and think of rational steps toward a solution if information
is presented in a deliberate way.
Think Out the Problem
If the problem
can be fixed, sit down and calmly brainstorm ways to do so. Once this is done,
create a to-do list prioritized by order of importance. If your boss has
criticized you for something, think of ways to improve. If the issue is with a
client, think of how you can approach the problem that will leave everyone
satisfied.
Smile
While there may
be something seriously bad going on, having a negative attitude won’t help—and
could actually exacerbate the situation. The problem has to be dealt with
either way, so isn’t it better to be in a good mood while doing so? Listen to a
song that will pep you up or find some other quick way to brush off the
frustration. The important thing is that you stay positive. An honest smile can
go a long way toward putting others at ease.
