Communicating Effectively - A Win-Win Opportunity Even In Difficult Situations Joan Matochik, President, JM Communications June 2006 Recommend this article

Whether you are communicating face to face or on the telephone, it can be a lost business opportunity or a successful one, even in difficult situations with angry or irritated customers, clients, vendors and co-workers. Making the best possible impression is critical to establishing good interpersonal relations and to developing a profitable business.

Creating this favorable impression not only translates into satisfied individuals and increased business profitability but also less workplace stress and frustration—for you and others. As author Eric Maisel writes in his book, 20 Communication Tips at Work, “Never treat work communications cavalierly…When you are at work, all communications are meaningful and important.” We should not take our routine communications with others for granted. Every single communication situation can be a win-win opportunity if we know and apply effective communication skills.

Three Stages of Anger

It is no small task to handle irritated and angry individuals. But with some helpful strategies to remember and utilize and a determination to remain professional, calm and self-confident, employees can surmount this workplace obstacle.

There are there stages of anger often seen in individuals, characterized by the acronym MAD:

• Miffed—An individual is irritated. For example, a customer complains about a business overcharge on his account or a late product shipment.
• Aggravated—An individual shows more than simple irritation but attacks you or business, saying something like, “You can’t do anything right.”
• Destructive—A person’s anger is very intense, and may even be threatening. The individual may say he will close his account, sue your company, want you fired, or demand to talk with your supervisor.

Eight Steps to Diffuse Anger

When you exhibit professionalism, it is helpful in alleviating anger in others. Throughout all situations, remember to stay calm and do not display heated emotion. Keep the tone of your voice caring, helpful and empathetic—not cold, indifferent or hostile. Speak slowly, while lowering your voice pitch slightly. This technique will encourage the angry individual to calm down more quickly.

These eight steps will also help you successfully in handling difficult individuals:

1. Don’t buy into the anger. Take the anger professionally, but not personally. Remember to separate the problem from the person, and focus on the problem.
2. Listen to understand. Hear the individual out without interrupting, as this makes people even angrier.
3. Show empathy. Impress an individual that you genuinely care about his problem or issue. Acknowledge his feelings and restate the facts. Often, it helps to ask yourself, “How is this person feeling?” Annoyed, disappointed or frustrated? Try to use the appropriate descriptive word when you restate the problem. For example, “I can imagine how frustrated you are that your product shipment hasn’t arrived on time. I will see what I can do to expedite the shipment.”
4. Identify the other’s needs and wants. Ask appropriate questions, both open-ended ones to gather additional information, and closed-end ones to confirm information with a one-word or “yes/no” answer. Verify your understanding of the person’s problem by restating the facts.
5. Offer options. Aim to be positive, not negative. Tell individuals what you can do for them, without emphasizing what you can’t do. It is helpful often to use the “condition/benefit” formula, for instance: “If you provide me with your invoice number, then I can check on your order.”
6. Find a positive solution. Try to come up with suggestions to rectify the problem and ask the individual for his input. Having the individual become involved in the problem solution will make him feel better about you and your business.
7. Thank the person. Express appreciation to the individual for bringing the problem or issue to your attention.
8. Follow up on any commitments. This is vital for maintaining and building better interpersonal relations. Be sure to check back promptly with the individual to confirm that the necessary action has actually been completed. Your professionalism will assuredly stand out if you do this last step.

Raising our voice, using threatening or abusive language and displaying derogatory gestures and other body language never help to make any communication situation better. Simply, they accelerate another’s anger and, therefore, should be avoided. By applying this eight-step approach, employees can turn a difficult situation into a highly successful communication encounter. Calm, confident and professional: Every communication situation can be a win-win opportunity when we demonstrate these qualities.

Joan Matochik is president/owner of JM Communications, which specializes in professional development training in the areas of customer service and oral and written communications. A professional speaker, writer and trainer, she has been in business for more than 20 years.

Email: jmatochi@comcast.net
Company Profile: JM Communications
Company URL: http://www.jmcomtraining.com

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