Have you ever received an email from a client, customer or coworker that was rude, irrational, demanding and unnecessary? Or had an employee make a costly mistake? Your first instinct may have been to react immediately — to angrily hit “reply” or chide your employee in front of the entire office.

Keeping your cool, especially during stressful situations, is one of the most important attributes of a good leader. These five tips will help you keep a clear head and an even temper, no matter how stressful your day.

1. Take a step back. Try to view the situation as a third party. Pretend you’re a representative of yourself and evaluate the problem from a logical point of view. An emotional reaction or angry tirade will almost never solve a dilemma. At best, losing your temper may cause an embarrassing situation and you may need to offer an apology for your behavior. At worst, you’ll intensify the situation and add to the list of consequences. Ask yourself, “Is this something I’ll still be angry about a year from now?” If not, let it go and move on. Many seasoned entrepreneurs will tell you that the things that used to upset them don’t even register on their radar anymore.

2. Be the voice of reason. When someone raises his or her voice to you, take a deep breath and remain calm. Keep your voice steady and speak at a normal pace. Most people will quickly realize they’re the only aggressor in the situation and will bring their voice and their temper back down. Some may even apologize for their outburst. At the same time, be prepared to apologize if you say something you didn't mean to say.

3. Think carefully before you speak. Once something comes out of your mouth, you can’t take it back. Saying hurtful or nasty things can be risky or dangerous to your professional reputation. It can also shatter your credibility. Watch what you say, how you say it, and where you say it. It’s best to confront someone in private, whenever possible.

4. Don’t take it personally. Entrepreneurs care deeply about their business and take extreme pride in their products and services. After all, they created the entire company from the ground up. Because of the emotion tied to your business, you may take negative feedback from customers as a personal attack. Instead, try to put yourself in your customers' shoes. You never know what kind of personal stressors someone may be dealing with on a daily basis. Try to practice patience and understanding and always treat everyone with the same level of respect you’d like to be shown.

5. Walk away. If you find a situation pushes you to your breaking point, step away until you can return with a clear mind. If you’re in the middle of an argument, simply tell the other person that you feel the conversation has gotten out of hand and you’d like to table the conversation for another time. Take time to calm down. Go outside and take a walk or take an hour and go to the gym. A break from the office and physical activity will help you relax. When you return to the problem, your fresh perspective will help you find the best solution.

6. add yours....

let me drop my keyboard here.
have nice day.

6. Beat the person to stupor then resign like a boss.

Good

I hardly ever lose my temper. Even Proverbs 14:29 says "whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly". Anger no dey pay!

It's [size=15pt]LadyF[/size] again

thanks for this tips

Good!

I'm sorry.

Remember you may lose your job if you lose your temper.

Control will come automatically

I did not read a single sentence....


Lemme just say OP nice 1....

ladyF:

.... and what's the reason for shining your teeth?

Anger resides in the bossom of fools...proverbs(bible)

Hmmn. Not easy sha.

Clone2020:
6 Beat the person to stupor then resign like a boss.

young man are u working at all?

igorapina:
young man are u working at all?

I'm on my bed, covered under my comforter watching the Chelsea vs Mancity match, skyping with my sweetheart and reading nairaland comments. Some of us don't have to work on Sundays you know?

ladyF:
I hardly ever lose my temper. Even Proverbs 14:29 says "whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly". Anger no dey pay!

It's [size=15pt]LadyF[/size] again

LADY F.. WELDONE.

DashMeYansh:
In real life, I hardly lose my temper but why am I even reading this, it's not like I have a job or will get one.

OP if I lose my temper just pray to your father's goat cus ama insult the shiit out of you infact, I will slap you if I could get away with it

How are you sure you won't get a job. Why are you pessimistic

Perspective changes everything, including emotions

hmmmm

in a way I'm yet to understand, God has "thrown my temper away"

I'm really super calm these days.

I pray it remains so sha

dear

as for me i barely lose my temper and my secret is this..." I keep smiling and playing with fingers "like an innocent baby" while he or she is shouting and using harsh words on me, the person suddenly finds out I'm not angry but rather just waiting for him or her finish their gragra n in my mind all im saying is "oga u don finish? abeg i want go"...

Think of the consequences of losing your temper at work
1. To your boss...... Receive query or warning or sack
2. To your subordinate ... This my oga just barks like bingo
3. To your colleague you might receive a fist, maybe she has a worse temper

After thinking through you will just ignore them and say "begone satan" in your mind


No 4 on your list always works for me

DashMeYansh:


I don't plan on getting a job anytime soon...Rocking myself SOLO

Ok o.. So you have enough stashed up in the bank to rock solo. Rock solo come my side nau

No5 is my perfect option... I always walk away...

The main reason not to loose one's temper has been figured out which is "Keeping calm", take your time to think before saying a word. Most of the time if we take our time to stay quiet we might not have any reason to loose temper or flare up.. Words are like egg, if spoken, it can't be retrieved. Customers will always hold on to your word anytime anyday, choose the type of words you will alter at anypoint in time

6. You could get a query, warning, caution or sack letter. Had gotten a query for raised voice during conversation with a superior. Had to apologise when she was about sending the query to HR.
Best option......... Walk away......

Clone2020:
6 Beat the person to stupor then resign like a boss.

So funny

I hardly ever loose my temper. It takes a lot to make me loose it.

T

In fact, its like the OP knows what am facing at work. U cant satisfy my boss. He takes offences at every slight mistake u make. One thing dat pains me over d weekend was dat on Friday, my boss shouted at me & compared me to his daughter in 300 Level University, on d basis dat she can solve professional issues dan me, all in d presence of our secretaries and clients. It was such an embarassment I never got in my life. Am leaving him soon once he pays me.

be a good friend to his superior or the hr, get a recorder to track his insults, learn about his rights and authority and know where his right stops cos that's where ur right begins.