How to respond to undesirable behaviour
Exercise: how to respond to undesirable behaviour
Let’s go back to Monica’s case. Let’s suppose: you, as manager, notice that a colleague makes a comment about Monica’s orientation. Which of the following responses would be the most appropriate for the manager to make in this situation?
→ The key is to respond in a guiding and caring manner at the same time.
- Guiding: The square allows you to set clear boundaries when behaviour is OK or no longer OK.
- Caring: With the circle, you investigate why certain behaviour is stated.
Additional tips for applying guiding and caring responses
By clearly setting your boundaries, you don’t leave any room for your employees to pursue theur undesirable behaviour.
It is important to mention the undesirable behaviour explicitly.
At the same time, consider the source of undesirable behaviour.
Be prepared to listen to what your employee has to say. Keep in mind that there are always two sides to a story.
Ask yourself whether you have enough control over your emotions in order to listen to your employee(s) with an open mind.
If so, it’s best to respond quickly. If not, it is best to deal with the situation later in order to be able to guarantee care in addition to control.