New Zealand has recently seen an increase in protests, demonstrations and occupations around the country.

This follows societal trends from around the world, and whilst the majority of these events are peaceful, there have been an increasing number of reports highlighting elevated levels of abuse towards members of the public simply going about their daily lives.

Given this changing landscape, it is increasingly important for businesses and other organisations to take a proactive approach to the security of their personnel. One of the simplest strategies is for organisations to equip their people with an understanding of simple de-escalation techniques, and how they can be used to diffuse a volatile or threatening situation.

Clearly the safest and easiest way to de-escalate any situation is simply to leave, but this isn’t always possible and other techniques may be needed.  In this scenario you might need to be SUBTLE!

• Self-awareness is key.  Know when you are getting triggered and identify how you are responding in the situation. If you can, stay in control of your own emotions as this is imperative to your success in de-escalation.

• Be understanding, but set boundaries.  The aggressor will likely have an issue which is important to them, so let them vent and try to be understanding of their situation. Show them empathy saying things such as “Yeah, that  sounds really hard” or "Oh wow, that is really tough on you".  Showing empathy can help take the peak out of their heightened state. That said, do not let them abuse you and swear at you to intimidate you, but set the boundary early with something such as "I’m listening to you, but I will not continue to do so if you say XYZ again."

• Check your body language.  Make sure you adopt an open posture, and keep a safe distance between you and the aggressor. Keep your arms open and be aware of your facial expressions. Open body language shows the subject that you aren’t a threat to them. They may actually start to mimic your actions.

• Keep your tone low and slow.  It is important not to match yelling with yelling. This will only ensure that the situation gets louder and more chaotic.  Keeping step 1 in mind, keep your tone low and slow.  This will help bring the subject back down to your level so you can start to reason with them.

• Remain engaged.  It is human nature to want to shut down the conversation as soon as possible, but this can actually be counter-productive and heighten tensions; it is better to try to remain engaged so that they feel that they are being listened to.

As suggested, it is always best to leave the situation if you can, but empathy, openness and engagement can go a long way to making sure the situation doesn’t get out of control.

If you think training in these types of skills could assist you and your organisation, feel free to get in touch with us for a chat.

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