The Over-Reactor

This is the boss who doesn't seem to be happy unless everyone's in panic mode. Everything is over-inflated. It's not an issue, its a problem. Its not a problem its a crisis; its not a crisis its the end of the world. This boss can often be quite fun to work with when things are going well, but the moment things go wrong, the old stress-o-meter spikes big time. The most common mistake people make while trying to deal with their over-reacting bosses is to try and placate them- to soothe them and reassure them that everything will be okay.This approach usually backfires, as bosses will now feel compelled to argue in support of their position. The rant escalates, along with your stress. The best approach to take with an over-reacting boss is an agree-echo-resolve technique. You agree with his(her) assessment of the situation, echo his concern and introduce a possible solution. Be careful you dont come across as mocking your boss but do make a point to absolutely support his(her) concern. One of the reasons that the Over-reactor behaves that way is because he(she) thinks overreacting is the only way to get people to take action. The more he(she) sees that you are as committed as he is, the less he(she) will rant in future........Good luck The Guardian June 5,2009-pg29

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