How to respond when your team is frustrated
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Today’s Tip
How to Respond When Your Team Is Frustrated
Sometimes, when you’re a manager, your team gets upset with you. They may be unhappy with a decision you’ve made or a new policy or an increase in workload. Of course, you aren’t in charge of keeping everyone happy all of the time, but you do want to respond to negative emotions so they don’t erode trust or hold your team back. Here are some strategies for managing anger and resentment when they creep up.
* Balance your emotions before reacting to your team’s. Don’t take the anger or resentment personally. See these expressions as data, not a threat, and resist the urge to get defensive or to dismiss your team’s feedback.
* Be curious. Ask for more information. Offer your team members a safe space to vent to you without shame or worry of retribution, and focus on what you can learn from their feedback.
* Enlist their help. Invite them to partner with you to explore solutions that address their concerns and benefit everyone. That way you can channel their frustration into a positive and productive outcome.
* Build deeper trust by owning your part. Even if you weren’t the direct cause of your team’s frustration, own up to any blind spots you may have and commit to continuing to learn and grow.
This tip is adapted from “Managing Anger, Frustration, and Resentment on Your Team<https://hbr.org/2022/02/managing-anger-frustration-and-resentment-on-your-team?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_notactsubs?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_actsubs&utm_content=signinnudge,”> by Nihar Chhaya
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Today’s Tip
How to Respond When Your Team Is Frustrated
Sometimes, when you’re a manager, your team gets upset with you. They may be unhappy with a decision you’ve made or a new policy or an increase in workload. Of course, you aren’t in charge of keeping everyone happy all of the time, but you do want to respond to negative emotions so they don’t erode trust or hold your team back. Here are some strategies for managing anger and resentment when they creep up.
* Balance your emotions before reacting to your team’s. Don’t take the anger or resentment personally. See these expressions as data, not a threat, and resist the urge to get defensive or to dismiss your team’s feedback.
* Be curious. Ask for more information. Offer your team members a safe space to vent to you without shame or worry of retribution, and focus on what you can learn from their feedback.
* Enlist their help. Invite them to partner with you to explore solutions that address their concerns and benefit everyone. That way you can channel their frustration into a positive and productive outcome.
* Build deeper trust by owning your part. Even if you weren’t the direct cause of your team’s frustration, own up to any blind spots you may have and commit to continuing to learn and grow.
This tip is adapted from “Managing Anger, Frustration, and Resentment on Your Team<https://hbr.org/2022/02/managing-anger-frustration-and-resentment-on-your-team?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_notactsubs?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_actsubs&utm_content=signinnudge,”> by Nihar Chhaya
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