I love empathy.
I’m a big fan of compassion.
I think that professionalism is the bee’s knees.
I also think that telling your staff to be empathetic, compassionate, and/or professional is REALLY bad advice.
How to coach your staff to get better at de-escalation
It is very natural to try to inspire your staff to do better with aspirational advice:
- “Show empathy.”
- “Be compassionate.”
- “Make sure you are professional.”
It is also unhelpful because it is very vague:
- HOW does your staff member show empathy?
- WHAT DOES IT MEAN to be compassionate?
- WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE to be professional?
It is much better to coach your staff around very specific behavior:
- “Don’t roll your eyes.”
- “Lower your volume when you speak.”
- “When backing up your coworker in conflict, stand 8-10 feet away.”
De-escalation skills are built on specific behaviors, not well-meaning-but-vague platitudes.
Want to learn other strategies for helping your staff get better at de-escalation?
Have an epic week!
Peace,
Ryan
