How do you teach de-escalation skills?

1 Assess your team's needs

Before you start teaching de-escalation skills, you need to assess your team's current level of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. You can use surveys, interviews, or observations to identify the common types of conflicts or crises they face, the strategies they use, and the areas they need to improve. You can also ask them about their expectations, concerns, and goals for learning de-escalation skills. This will help you tailor your training to your team's specific needs and interests.

2 Choose the right method

There are different methods for teaching de-escalation skills, such as lectures, videos, role-plays, simulations, case studies, or games. You should choose the method that best suits your team's learning style, availability, and resources. For example, if your team prefers interactive and experiential learning, you can use role-plays or simulations to practice de-escalation scenarios. If your team has limited time or access to training facilities, you can use videos or online courses to deliver the content. You should also consider the method's effectiveness, cost, and feasibility.

3 Cover the key topics

When teaching de-escalation skills, it's important to cover the principles and benefits of de-escalation, as well as the signs and stages of escalation. Additionally, you should focus on verbal and non-verbal communication skills, empathy and active listening skills, problem-solving and negotiation skills, and self-care and stress management skills. Presenting these topics in a logical and sequential order is essential, beginning with the basics and working up to more advanced skills. Furthermore, examples, tips, and feedback should be provided to help your team understand and apply the concepts.

4 Evaluate and reinforce

The last step for teaching de-escalation skills is to evaluate and reinforce your team's learning outcomes. You can use quizzes, tests, or feedback forms to measure your team's knowledge, skills, and attitudes before and after the training. You can also use observation, coaching, or mentoring to monitor your team's performance and provide guidance and support. You should also encourage your team to practice and review the de-escalation skills regularly and reward them for their progress and achievements.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?