How to respond to tricky work situations



Did you know that we spend more than 90,000 hours of our life in the workplace? One can easily witness two World Cups in that time, the whole series of Friends was wrapped in that time. The bottom line is that so much more could have been done at this time.

We all know that there are ample of energy-draining situations we face every day - whether it is a disagreement with your supervisor or a difference in opinion with your colleague, or your team member who fails to follow instructions, any of such situations can make your workday filled with moments of anxiety.

Throughout my leadership journey, I have faced such situations, learned from them, and have grown eventually. So, today through this piece I would like to share five tough work situations and how to handle them.

  • Someone criticizes your work – You all have experienced embarrassment during a meeting either by a supervisors or coworkers. I am sure that you must have replied positively, and not defensively, while handling such situations. It is obvious to feel bad if your supervisor says, "This report isn't up to your typical standards," or if a coworker comments, "You're dead wrong!" in a meeting. We instinctively want to fight or take flight. Fighting creates embarrassment for us and discomfort for others, in all cases, it leads to nothing productive. All it does is drain positivity and make the surrounding toxic. Taking flight means you will disappear from the discussion. Neither is it a good course of action. Instead, take a deep breath and wait for the speaker to justify his argument with a receptive expression on your face. After that, you can respond with a statement that demonstrates you have heard, and you will look into the matter and work towards achieving it. Keep in mind to answer back politely, to the point, and with facts.
  • Conflict of opinion with your colleague - We've all been in circumstances where there is conflict of opinion at workplace. Let me give you a situation. You are an introvert person who prefers to work alone, and your colleague is an extrovert. Both you and your colleague are working on the same project. While working, you grow increasingly uneasy to speak about your project in front of the leaders while your colleague continues to speak about the project in front of the leadership group. So how do you approach it? Talk it out – just the two of you. Tell something like “I'd like to speak with you about something.” Then, without emotion and prejudice, convey your ideas and how you feel about your colleague’s action. Ask for their help in coming up with a solution that will work for both of you. Also, don't forget to underline the positive aspects of your relationship. This chat will clear the air and make your relationship run more smoothly. Keep an open feedback culture where constructive criticism should be welcome, both ways.
  • There is a conflict between two people in your team - When disagreements erupt, you have the responsibility of defusing the tension as a manager. If the conflict isn't about harassment, illness, , or discrimination, try to resolve it on your own. If not, someone in the HR can advise you on how to handle the problem. Hear both parties out without bias, put yourself in the other person’s shoes to understand why certain decisions were made.
  • Someone makes an insensitive comment – When someone makes an insensitive comment, instead of snapping back get into a clear conversation. ( Explain and reason the situation so the other person clearly understands when a line has been crossed and things that are inappropriate and insensitive. This will help you to refrain from your relationship with the other person.

These four scenarios are just a handful of the tense circumstances that might occur within the confines of an office. The result of any conflict is to resolve it without chaos. Patience and tact are two key skills to exercise when facing challenging situations – no matter what professional level one is in. Try developing a positive attitude.

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