You probably have enough stress to deal with every day without needlessly having to cope with more.

Those difficult situations generally involve other people. That could mean an unhappy customer, an awkward business partner or an employee not performing.

Whatever the reason, these situations have the potential to be very costly. They can take up a huge amount of your time, cause a great deal of stress and result in significant damage to your business.

But it doesn’t have to be that way for you. There is a proven science to resolving any conflict so you can move on quickly and get back on track.

To get you started, here are 3 action steps you can take to be more effective in handling these situations…

Action Step 1: Count to 10…

It’s all too easy to get caught up in emotion when facing a difficult situation. That’s understandable…but usually fatal to the chances of securing a successful outcome.

So…when facing any difficult situation, make a point to engage your professional brain before you respond. Make it a personal rule to “Count to 10” or take 3 deep breaths to settle yourself.

Action Step 2: Daily practice

In the same way that to stay in physical shape it’s important to exercise regularly, daily practice is vital

Action Step 3: Use the “Iceberg” principle

You’ve probably heard the expression the “Tip of the Iceberg”. That comes from the fact that only a small part of the iceberg is actually visible above the waterline. The greater part is hidden out of sight.

It’s the same with people. What appears to be happening on the surface is usually only part of the story. So don’t act on first impressions. Take time to uncover more about what’s happening. And it’s usually a good idea to give people the benefit of the doubt.

With these 3 action steps you’ll start to build up your skill in dealing with difficult situations. That will mean less stress and better business outcomes for you.

To your success

Judeth

Judeth Wilson Founder and Lead Trainer at Upfront Communications