If you need to, walk away for a few minutes to collect yourself. Once you’re calmer, go back and address the situation in a civil, professional way. [2] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source If you’re feeling upset about something, ask yourself, “How important is this right now? Is it going to be important a week from now?” That can help you get perspective on the issue. [3] X Expert Source Lauren KrasnyExecutive, Strategic, & Personal Coach Expert Interview. 27 March 2020. A calm, assertive response is a good thing! It’s a healthy way to let others know what you need and how you feel. [4] X Research source
For example, “Kathy’s proposal is solid and going that route could definitely benefit the company. I have another idea that may help us reach our quarterly goal even faster, though. What does everyone think about. . . " If you don’t like the way your manager assigns shifts, politely offer an alternate solution. For example, “Mr. Sellers, I really appreciate that you want our shift assignments to be fair. Your recent changes got me thinking and I’d love to get your perspective on this alternative. . . ”
For example, if someone calls you “Honey” in a meeting, immediately respond with, “I don’t like being called that. Please use my name to address me. ” If a coworker tries to take credit for your work in a project meeting, let them finish speaking. Then, politely note your own contributions. For example, “Bill did a great job organizing the reports. With his help, I was able to analyze and file them a lot faster than usual. ” If you don’t speak up quickly, your coworker (and anyone else who witnessed the act) will think it’s fine to treat you that way. [7] X Research source
You might say take them aside later and say, “I realize you probably didn’t mean to do this, but when you interrupted me at the meeting earlier, I felt belittled and a bit embarrassed. Can you be more careful about that in the future?”
“Can you help me understand why Derrick got most of my assignments this week? Are you unhappy with the quality of my work?” “I’m not sure I understand why you CC’d the sales team on that email. I thought we were talking privately. Can you tell me why you did that?” “Would you mind explaining the new schedule? I know you must have a good reason for making changes, but our lunch breaks are 15 minutes shorter now. "
Come up with a game plan together. Your boss is more likely to take your complaint seriously if other employees back you up.
Coworkers gossiping about you or purposely excluding you Verbal abuse, yelling, or using profanity Purposely unclear tasks and unreasonable workloads Employees taking credit for your work Offensive jokes, nicknames, or comments Constant criticism, discrimination, or undeserved punishment Blocking opportunities for training or advancement[12] X Research source
You might say, “Rebecca, do you have a few minutes to speak to me privately in your office? I would love to get your perspective on some things I’ve been dealing with lately. ”
