There are instances when you feel terrible at work because of an intense meeting. The goal was to come up with ideas or resolve issues, but things could get heated. If you take things seriously, it could be stressful. Even after the work hours, you will still feel terrible. Before you eventually decide to leave your job because you’re no longer happy, you have to learn how to act during an intense meeting. Start by drinking a glass of water. It helps calm you down. It also gives you time to pause before saying the next word. It’s even better if your office uses the Big Berkey water filter. It ensures the cleanliness of the drinking water. You have to tell your boss that you need it and it’s worth the price. Apart from drinking water to calm your emotions, these are other useful tips to do when under immense stress.
Be more open-minded
You feel bad during an intense meeting because you dislike the idea that someone is contradicting you. It also doesn’t feel right when you have to keep arguing because of an issue. When you’re dealing with someone who doesn’t want to listen, you shouldn’t do the same. If both of you are terrible listeners, the meeting will become more intense. The key is to be sincere in listening. Show that you’re open to suggestions. You might realize that you’re wrong, or there’s another side that’s worth listening to.
The opposite of being a good listener is reactive. The problem with most people who join the meeting is that they’re always looking for ways to respond. Instead of considering other suggestions, their goal is to prove the original idea was right. If you have this attitude, you will always feel bad during a meeting. Check your ego on the door and be humble enough to accept ideas.
Don’t think of comments as a personal attack
Always tell yourself that even if the discussion gets heated, it has nothing to do with your character. Even if it seems like your idea was made to look terrible, it’s not about you. The meeting is meant to be an opportunity to exchange views. There’s no point in taking things personally. Even if you’re arguing against someone you have personal issues with, it shouldn’t affect your work relationship. Be professional and learn to separate yourself from work.
Don’t add fuel to the fire
Even if you’re not in the middle of a heart argument, you will still feel stressed because you’re in the room. If you eventually have to vote, you need to take sides and defend your reasons. Try to be quiet while both sides are arguing and weigh the options. You should only speak up if you have questions and clarifications. Unless it’s already time to vote, try not to take sides yet. You will only make the situation worse. The worst thing you can do is try stealing the thunder and being the superhero in the picture. It’s not the time to impress your boss. There’s an issue that needs to be resolved, and it should be the priority.
Leave the room if you can’t take it anymore
There’s nothing wrong with leaving the room for a while. You need to take a deep breath or let go of your intense feeling. Everyone in the room will understand. Make sure you don’t just walk out and never come back. Ask for permission and return as soon as you can. Walking out is unprofessional. It also doesn’t resolve the hanging issue.
Be humble in accepting defeat
Most workplaces will allow everyone in the room to vote if there are unresolved issues. Once the votes were cast, it’s final. If you already tried your best to prove your ideas, it’s good enough. If your colleagues still didn’t buy what you offer, be humble in accepting defeat. You can try again next time. You should also congratulate the person whose ideas were accepted. If you’re still part of the team that will implement that proposal, you have to work hard to make it successful. Just because your proposal got rejected doesn’t mean you won’t cooperate anymore. If the tables were turned, you don’t want people to let you do everything.
Learn how to let go
Regardless of how intense the meeting gets, learn how to let go. The moment you head out of the meeting room, everything is over. The person you argued with is back as your friend or colleague. The argument shouldn’t extend outside the meeting room. Don’t take things to another level or involve other issues apart from what was discussed. You should do the same even when you didn’t have an intense meeting during the day. Once your work hours are over, you have to shake things off and leave. You need to be in an excellent mood when you head home. Don’t allow the negativity and toxicity of your workplace to affect your family.
Learn your lessons the meeting probably taught you plenty of valuable things. Use them if you face a similar situation in the future. Do better in managing your emotions. It would help if you also had a better attitude when you go inside the room full of smart people next time.
Arguments and disagreements are typical in the workplace, and you can’t expect everyone to agree on every detail. These differences are even healthy. They allow you to think of ways to do better. If everyone pretends to agree on every detail, there’s no room for growth. It doesn’t benefit anyone in the team. It also doesn’t bring out the best in everyone.
The key is to control how you feel and filter your words. Pause if you’re uncertain. Wait until you know what to say or how to say things before opening your mouth. Remember that you’re dealing with people who have emotions, and your words matter.