Challenge:
Keeping calm in conversations where conflicting opinions are expressed.
Situation:
A senior leader had a very demanding position in a global engineering company. During meetings with diverse stakeholders he regularly lost his temper when he faced strongly-voiced opinions which opposed his own view.
We created a focused coaching programme tailored to his personality and context.
The core of our approach was to reflect on his values, in combination with his emotional intelligence. The insights he gained enabled him to shift his perspective from being judgemental about what is right or wrong, to one of curiosity and openness.
This helped him to manage his emotions more effectively and to remain calm when dealing with challenging conversations; not becoming agitated by opposing opinions, but in fact to appreciate them as an opportunity to develop different perspectives.
Result:
Through this development he was able to become much calmer in his interactions and discussions. This was appreciated by peers and stakeholders alike, as it had a strong positive impact on his effectiveness as a leader.
“Knowing my emotional triggers enables me to be much better at controlling my emotional state. Being calm and at ease in difficult discussions makes my life much easier and less stressful.”
