Diffusing Tension with Your Supervisor

Diffusing Tension with Your Supervisor

 

No worker wants a clash with a supervisor.  Sometimes, though, it’s inevitable.  Issues reach a boiling point, and you have to speak up—or act up—to save your sanity.

 

Maybe you had to voice a disagreement or name an error a co-worker made.  Suddenly, you’re wearing egg on your face.  Your supervisor is angry or upset while you’re plagued with digging out of the mess.

 

These tips can help:

 

·         Use “I” statements.  This helps you “own” your part in the tension.  Say, “I am upset that this tension is on the table.  I wish I could fix it.”

 

·        Acknowledge when the tension is nobody’s fault.  Oftentimes, a problem really is not a person’s fault.  It’s just that something went wrong with the system, so to speak.   If possible, say to your supervisor, “This issue is really not anyone’s fault.”  This takes off a lot of pressure.

 

·         Don’t share feelings with co-workers.  When you’re at odds with the boss, you’re walking in a political minefield.  Your friends may try to help you and make things worse.  Your enemies could add fuel to the fire.

 

·         Talk with friends in other locales.   To rebalance your own emotions, do share your feelings with friends in other cities—away from your work setting.  Ask them to help you look at things objectively.  This way, you won’t carry tension to work every day.  You can diffuse on the phone with those friends.

 

Once tension is circling your work setting, you can only control your own emotions.  You cannot fix the personal tension of your boss.  You can, however, offer to do anything within your power to fix the problem.  Offer this kind of support only after your boss lets you know his or her tension is cooling down.  Otherwise, a knee-jerk reaction could get you fired.

 

Copyright 2008 Hopson Global Education and Training