Credit: Marcelle Yeager
Many things can set you off at work, from a boss's poor feedback on an assignment to a bad performance review. Perhaps you’ve received information that the company is not doing well and to expect a bad turn or even a layoff. It’s important to handle this kind of news with style and professionalism. At the same time, there is a time and place to react and take action.
You may not realize it, but your composure at work can have a lasting impact. Do you want to be remembered and referred for other jobs as a put-together, calm employee who handles bad news well? Or do you want to be known as someone who cannot control her temper? It’s not easy to deal with bad news at work, but here’s how to face it and proactively respond to it:
1. Take time. Just as when you receive unfortunate personal news, it’s natural and important to take time to work out your feelings. Whether you are angry or sad, allow those feelings to come out in the way you best deal with a bad situation. Talk it over with loved ones, exercise, take a personal day – do whatever you need to do to give yourself time to process the news. This will give you a clearer idea of the big picture, and it will allow you to put things in perspective and consider alternatives.
2. Reflect. Taking time off work and talking to friends or family will give you the chance to reflect on what happened. If your annual review didn’t go well, or you were criticized for your work on a project, think about what you could have done differently. Maybe you can learn from what you heard and approach things in a new way next time to improve your performance.
Ultimately, the choice is yours: Do you want to make the best out of your current situation, stay frustrated or consider other opportunities?
3. Consider. If you want to improve your current situation, take stock of your relationships. Which relationship would you like to improve? What past issues or conflicts can you clear up so you can both move forward? How can you take responsibility for past issues?
It’s a difficult conversation to have, so take steps to make the other person as comfortable as possible when you’re ready to discuss your relationship, what it means to you and how you’d like to work better together.
If you are still having trouble coming to terms with the news after reflecting on it, perhaps it is time to consider other opportunities. Do you enjoy what you do? Are you using your talents, skills and interests at work? If not, maybe you’re frustrated and should talk to your boss about better using your capabilities (if your boss is reasonable and that’s an option). If not, it may be time to search for jobs that will allow you to maximize your skills and interests.
4. Act. Even if you decide that this particular situation can be solved in the short term by a frank and specific discussion with your boss, it is probably a good idea to begin reaching out. It’s always a good idea to network while you are working (even when things are going well, because things could change rapidly).
Arrange brief meetings or coffee breaks with others in your company whose opinion you respect or who you know to be highly successful in their jobs. When networking internally, remember to be discreet about whether you are looking for other opportunities, so nothing gets back to your boss.
You can also conduct informational interviews externally by using LinkedIn as a starting point. Figure out who you want to talk to and send a three- to four-line message to introduce yourself and why you’d like to connect with them.
At this time, you should also consider updating your résumé, writing a solid cover letter and developing your LinkedIn profile. This will all come in handy if someone asks for you to forward your résumé for a potential opportunity.
The takeaway: While no one likes to get bad news at work, think of it as an opportunity to re-evaluate your job situation. Give yourself time to process the information and decide whether and/or how to react. If you choose to take action, do it in a positive way that will make a difference for your career. Have an honest, thoughtful discussion with your boss to ask how you can improve your performance or how your skills can be better applied within the company.
If that route is not an option – or even if it is – take this opportunity to jump-start your networking efforts. Maybe you'll come across something you enjoy more that will maximize your abilities.
Marcelle Yeager is the president of Career Valet, which delivers personalized career navigation services. Her goal is to enable people to recognize skills and job possibilities they didn’t know they had to make a career change or progress in their current career. She worked for more than 10 years as a strategic communications consultant, including four years overseas. Marcelle holds an MBA from the University of Maryland.
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