Regulating your response in challenging workplace situations and interactions
Have you ever become defensive, flustered, stressed or more abrupt than you intended during an interaction or situation at work?
Perhaps a question felt like a challenge to your competence. Feedback seemed unfair. Or you later recognised that your response had not conveyed the calmness and professionalism you wanted.
Changing Your Story is a short, practical video that helps you understand what may be happening beneath these reactions and prepare a more effective response.
Who is this video for?
This video is for professionals, managers and leaders who want to handle emotionally charged workplace situations and interactions more effectively.
It may be particularly useful if you:
- become defensive when your work, judgment or competence appears to be questioned
- feel flustered and begin over-explaining when challenged
- become tense, stressed, abrupt or hostile in some situations or interactions
- have received feedback that your tone or behaviour appeared more emotional than you realised
- recognise afterwards that you reacted to an assumption about what someone meant
- want to understand your reactions rather than continually monitoring and managing your behaviour
The kinds of situations this can help with
The technique can be applied when:
- someone questions a recommendation or asks you to justify your thinking
- you receive difficult or unexpected feedback
- you encounter work situations you find challenging
- a request feels unreasonable, inconsiderate or demanding
- you think someone is doubting your capability or authority
- another person's tone or behaviour triggers a strong emotional response
- you need to respond professionally when you're feeling uncomfortable or anxious
What will you learn?
The video introduces the Changing Your Story technique, which combines self-awareness with purposeful action. It includes a free worksheet to help you work through the technique yourself.
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