The Issue: "My days at work are not scripted and things or situations arise that can't be planned for. I'm caught off guard. I have no time to prepare and no time to think of a course of action to take. I find myself becoming tense. I don't deal with these stressful situations very well."
Dan's Response: The way to deal with rapid changes at work is to be wary, be flexible, anticipate and prepare. Be wary - keep your eyes open and be on the lookout for emerging problems. Be flexible - know your options for different types of situations. Anticipate - think about what might happen. Prepare - Learn useful techniques.
When it comes to handling rapid changes and stressful situations, there's no substitute for experience. But supervisors who lack experience can also turn to their boss and/or peers who have solid track records as resources. Ask them for advice and counsel on how to anticipate and avoid troublesome issues. And how to handle them when they can't be avoided.
About me: Dan Pelley is an educator specializing in management training and development programs for supervisors and other first-line managers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The issue recited above came from a participant in one of his supervisory management development programs.
Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.
Friday, February 20, 2009
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