If you’re experiencing stress in the workplace, you’re not alone!

Sadly, stress in the workplace is real. The World Metrics Organization reports that 51% of employees experience burnout from work stress, which has increased from 43% reported in 2021.

As leaders we need to become aware of how team member behaviors, attitudes, relationships, and results are being impacted.

The Crucial Conversations team shares there are 6 styles that are exhibited during times of stress. Excerpts include:

Masking – Understating or selectively showing our true opinions. Sarcasm, sugarcoating, and snide remarks are some of the more popular forms.

Avoiding – Steering completely away from sensitive subjects. There’s talk, but the real issue is not addressed, full and candid opinions are not shared, and the difficult subject may be changed to another topic.

Withdrawing – Pulling out of a conversation altogether. The conversation is stopped, the room is actually exited, or there are delays responding to phone calls or emails.

Controlling – Coercing others to align with our thoughts. It may include forcing our views on others, dominating the conversation, cutting others off, overstating facts that support our position, and speaking in absolutes.

Labeling – Feeling others have minimal value and dismissing their ideas before even considering their opinion.

Attacking – Moving from winning the argument to making the person suffer. Tactics include belittling, threatening, and with hurtful intent.

Awareness is key. Have you observed less engagement? Missed deliverables? A reluctance to share new or different ideas? Maybe even snarky conversations?

Share with your team that stress is real and encourage conversations allowing team members to express how they are being impacted, and how they are managing it. They may have great coping ideas that will benefit the team!