Seven Steps to Dealing with Angry Employees

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There are many reasons why you might have an angry employee. They may be reacting to a poor performance review, on the job criticism, or extreme stress at work or home.

Either way, you cannot ignore what they are feeling. Here are seven productive tips to deal with their anger in a productive manner:

1. Acknowledge their anger. Reply with “I can see you’re upset about this.” People appreciate it when others acknowledge how they are feeling.

2. Give them space. If the employee wants to stew in silence, allow them to do so. Don’t rush to end the uncomfortable silence.

3. Suggest a follow-up meeting. If they need more than a couple minutes to collect their thoughts, it may be a better idea to end the meeting and schedule a follow-up. It’ll give them an opportunity to regain composure and time to internalize their own thoughts.

4. Focus on the issue. After the emotions have been acknowledged, refocus on the problem. Do not let the focus center around the employee’s reaction.

5. Be professional. This is not the time for humor or casual statements. Empathy is okay, but stick to your main agenda and talking points.

6. Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Don’t expect the emotions and anger to melt. It may persist for days or weeks. Or the employee may never forgive you ever. This is normal; resist your temptation to ignore or withdraw your criticism with the hope of regain your employee’s good graces.

7. Don’t apologize. Unless you made a mistake, you shouldn’t apologize for how they feel or that you have to deliver negative criticism. Employees can control their attitude and how they deal with your criticism.

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