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Main Takeaways
Reading Time: 2 minutes It needs calm and patient to keep the head clear and not compound the worse situation by improper body language, loud and angry voice. You better solve the problems by connecting, listening, inspiring your co-workers. Stay cool and build confidence and cohesion in your team.

How to Communicate Best In Times of Stress

"F*@k, how could this shi% happen, you %#$@$#?"

Too often in case of stress we divert it to lower hierarchical levels: to our team, to team members, or other people we work with. Reacting like this, however, increase the stress only. Even worse, it increases the stress for ourselves and more disastrous, for the people involved indirect only.

To keep the head clear needs containment and control. But by this you stay cool and do not compound the worse situation by improper body language, loud and angry voice, and bad words.

You better solve the problems by connecting, listening, inspiring your co-workers. Your ability to stay cool and to communicate will build confidence and cohesion along your team.

 

Connect

Don't play the blame game and start finger-pointing, immediately. Instead, try to start an open communication, show that you care and demonstrate your appreciation.
Show that you are related to the issue as well to your counterpart.

 

Listen

In conversations, we talk too much and listen too few our counterpart. Listening is difficult since we have to restrict ourselves and have to give the speaker your undivided attention. Try to listen attentively. It's no wonder that Active Listening is a great topic of the internet.

Restrain your own level of stress and don't ask

"Why happened xyz?"

Better, ask instead

"What happened?"

and listen to the arguments. Try to get into a real dialogue ("dialogic listening").

 

Inspire

Show that you care and offer help and support in solving the problem. Empower others and encourage them to say more, to further explore and explicate their views and questions. Show confidence that everybody involved will fix the issue as a team and agree to realistic goals.

 

This funny, but sadly all too true video shows how disastrous bad communication in stressful sitauations can be.

 

Further Reading