Overcoming Defensiveness: Strategies for Productive Engagement with Defensive Employees

Conflict Skills

In this episode we dive deep into strategies for effectively managing and communicating with defensive employees. If you're a leader or work in HR, this episode is a must-listen.
Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:
🔹 Self-care is essential: Taking care of yourself is crucial when dealing with defensive employees. Make sure to engage in self-care practices, such as exercise or deep breathing, to minimize stress and maintain your resilience.
🔹 Avoid triggering defensiveness: Defensiveness often leads to more defensiveness. Instead of becoming defensive yourself, try to maintain a calm and composed demeanor. This will help diffuse tension and create a more productive conversation.
🔹 Balancing assertiveness and accountability: It can be challenging to hold a defensive employee accountable while staying assertive. Strive to find the right balance by acknowledging their perspective while still expecting improvements in performance. By offering support and encouraging them to think of alternative solutions, you can foster growth and development.
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