You're facing a challenging client in a team meeting. How can you keep your emotions in check?

Undoubtedly understanding emotional triggers is the first step of keeping our emotions under control. Being aware of these triggers will always help in preparing mentally to respond calmly not impulsively!

Como primera medida, debemos reconocer que nuestras emociones no son ni buenas ni malas, sino que cada una de ellas cumple con una función psicobiológica determinada. Si bien nuestro objetivo es que la razón prevalezca y que nuestra corteza prefrontal nos permita gestionarlas eficientemente, no debemos criticarnos por haberlas experimentado en un primer lugar. Vernos como los seres humanos que somos le quitará dramatismo a la situación y, por lo tanto, podremos avanzar en la reunión de una manera más natural en lugar de pelearnos con las emociones. Recordemos que ambas partes tenemos un objetivo compartido y centremos nuestra atención en ello. Realizar respiraciones que estimulen el nervio vago antes de la reunión podría ayudar.

1. Pause and breathe: Take a moment to center yourself before responding. 2. Focus on facts: Stick to objective information rather than emotional reactions. 3. Practice active listening: Truly hear their concerns without interrupting. 4. Use "I" statements: Express your thoughts without blaming or accusing. 5. Seek common ground: Find areas of agreement to build rapport. 6. Visualize success: Picture a positive outcome to stay motivated. Remember, emotional intelligence is key in these situations. I've found that maintaining composure not only diffuses tension but also models professional behavior for your team. Stay objective, and you'll turn challenges into opportunities for growth and learning.

Clear communication is essential, but understanding your client's needs is equally important. Clients often require a thorough understanding of issues to defend their decisions internally. While our typical approach involves framing discussions, it can be highly beneficial to create space for clients to voice concerns and objections openly. Allowing clients to articulate their concerns provides valuable insight into their perspectives and priorities. This open dialogue enables us to address each concern systematically, providing reassurances and mitigating perceived risks. By adopting this approach, we cultivate stronger client relationships and ensure our solutions align with their specific needs and expectations.

You can leverage your relationship with colleagues when facing a tough client to reach a common goal, or at least see from similar perspectives. Do not walk the road alone. It is surprising how much you can learn from the experience of others who have handled similar situations before. Additionally, when seeking support from your team in handling a tough client, it is important that you don't project their involvement as a gang up. The difficult party may sense this and put up their shields, thus intensifying the misunderstanding.

It's always easy to say that you need to stay calm in the moment. But if you're reading this article, chances are likely that's easier said than done (I know that's been true for me in the past). While you want to develop tools for emotional regulation that can help you stay centered and professional when stress rises, in cases where our humanity kicks in, it's time to reset and reflect. I've found, the sooner I calm down from a situation, the better feedback I give myself on the situation. Here's a few questions to ask yourself when your buttons get pushed at work: What set me off? What wasn't effective in the way I responded? What would I do differently next time? Develop a strategy you can use next time.

Just like in any type of interaction, make sure you understand it isn’t entirely about you. Remember - there’s a human on the other side who simply wants to be seen, heard and understood. Lead yourself with this understanding to ground, self-regulate and create a meaningful connection.