Professionalism
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SWAT: Stop, Walk, Ask, Talk
August 18, 2010
Last week, within hours after Jet Blue flight attendant Steven Slater slid down an inflated emergency slide with a beer in hand, his story went viral. Whether you scanned news websites, read blogs, watched nationally televised news, or stood in an airport, like I did, it seemed everyone wanted to talk about the most recent person to say “take this job and shove it” in a really, really dramatic way.
Because I was traveling, I had the opportunity to catch several interviews about the episode. Most of the reports suggested the event was the natural result of stressed flyers encountering disgruntled flight attendants. It seems no one in the skies is happy. Having paid for an airline ticket, flyers are sick and tired of arriving at the airport only to be greeted by additional fees, for everything from carry-on luggage to blankets. And nearly every flight attendant has been called upon to work additional hours and relinquish untold benefits in order to keep their employers in the air.
If your work requires you to fly, you know all the players in this game have been pushed to their limits.
The same could be said of workers in lots of other industries, too. While it may be fun to think about “pulling a Slater” at work, those of us who need to keep our jobs can’t afford to lose our composure. When you feel you’ve reached your limits, instead of letting go with a few choice words and then beating a hasty escape, try the following strategies:
1. Stop – When you find a conversation with a work colleague or client has escalated, find a way to bring it to a quick close. That may be as simple as telling the other person, “I’m afraid I need to get to a quick meeting. Let’s continue this later.” Don’t let the mounting conversation turn into an eruption of tempers.
2. Walk – Remove yourself from the environment. Walk around the block. Grab some fresh air. Do anything you can to remove yourself from the situation. (By the way, the most recent studies seem to suggest that a little bit of exercise can help alleviate stress.)
3. Ask – Ask yourself whether the person has a point. Stand in his or her shoes for a few moments. Analyze what has given cause to any hostile or aggressive emotions that have been expressed.
4. Talk – Find someone you know whose judgment you trust and describe the situation. That person may be able to provide further insights or suggestions as to how you can best move forward. More importantly, you will have the opportunity to vent.
Mary Crane & Associates is closing down for a short summer break. We’ll return just in time to say good-bye to the end of summer and to welcome a new fall season.
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