Key Points
Anger is a universal emotion, and, no matter what you do, it's important to know how to deal with angry people calmly and assertively.
Start by finding the root cause of their anger by asking open-ended questions. If you or your organization are at fault, apologize appropriately (but be careful of liability issues), and work on finding a solution. Ask them what you can do to resolve the situation.
Try not to get angry yourself. Stay calm, speak slowly, and use non-threatening body language. A calm, rational response can go a long way toward calming angry people down.
Editor’s Note: There are many resources for the tools and techniques presented in this series of articles. A few examples follow:
Learn Out Loud:
http://www.learnoutloud.com/Free-Audio-Video/Self-Development
Business Balls:
http://www.businessballs.com/
Project Management Guru:
http://www.projectmanagementguru.com/index.html
Mind Tools:
http://www.mindtools.com
Explore and share!
