5
One effective way to chase emotion from your voice is to talk
more slowly. Concentrate on speaking each word precisely and
rather softly. Amazingly, if you get your voice tone under control,
your emotions invariably follow!
Establish the Facts With Specific Details
We discussed this earlier. Don’t speak in generalities. Broad-
brush words like “always”, “never”, “all the time” and
“everybody” only antagonize people. Make a three-point or five-
point description of the specific facts before the session — and
stick to it.
Assess the Probable Impact on Your Team Member
Consider reactions you can reasonably expect during your
counseling session. How has the team member reacted to these
kinds of exchanges in the past? What is happening in his life that
might amplify or alter a “normal” response? Anticipating the team
member’s reactions will be valuable preparation for your session.
For instance, what if you have reason to believe that Kevin’s
response to your counseling session might be very emotional? He
may even start crying or yelling and run from your office. How
can you prepare for such a possibility?
- Document your planned session and state your concern
about Kevin’s possible response to your supervisor and/or
your human resources director. One or both of them might
have valuable suggestions for handling
the session. - Identify the part of the meeting that is most likely to upset
Kevin and defuse it as much as possible. If Kevin’s poor
performance jeopardizes team productivity as well as his
job, practice different ways to communicate that fact
accurately but sensitively.
Wrong
“Kevin, we can’t keep you on if things
don’t improve.”
The Counselor Role: Confrontation and CorrectionBroad-brush
words like
“always,” “never,”
“all the time” and
“everybody”
antagonize people.