Brooklyn resident Errol Pierre, 40, isn’t the kind of guy who stays in his lane and minds his own business when he sees that something is going terribly wrong.
Two decades ago, while studying finance, he took a job at a beauty salon. An unhappy customer said her hair had been dyed the wrong color. “The hairdresser totally botched the dye job, and the customer was in tears,” he recalled. “To calm her down, I told her she wouldn’t have to pay, and she could come back [and] have another stylist fix it. Next, the hairdresser became apoplectic, so I assured him he would get his commission.”
Pierre didn’t have any authority to do this, but he “took it upon myself because it was the right thing to do,” he said, but had to call the owner and explain what he’d done.
The owner was appreciative — but that wasn’t the only good thing that happened.
Another customer, the COO of Empire BlueCross BlueShield, was also in the salon at the time and had observed what had happened, complimented Pierre on how he handled the situation and asked for his résumé.
“She’s the reason I’m where I am today,” said Pierre, now senior vice president of state programs at a major insurance company, an adjunct professor at Baruch, Columbia and NYU and author of “The Way Up: Climbing the Corporate Mountain as a Professional of Color” (Wiley).
Here’s how other tricky situations can be handled with dignity.
Dealing with meanness
David Farkas, 48, encountered problems when he was just starting out in the world of work.
“It was my first office job, and I had to send someone an invoice,” he said. “The customer tried to haggle with me and tried to get a discount — I wasn’t authorized to offer anything of the sort,” said the Woodbridge, NJ, resident. “Eventually, the customer got mean and rude, and I had to get my manager involved.”
Problematic, when we work in a world where employees are rated on how well they resolve situations independently.
So what options do you have in this kind of situation?
“Stay calm,” said Téa Angelos, author of “Smart Moves, Simple Ways to Take Control of Your Life” (John Wiley & Sons Australia.) “Link back to a policy or procedure to make sure you’ve covered your bases, then offer the customer a pathway toward resolution.”
However, these are things that aren’t as easy to do if someone’s berating you.
“Thank them for their concerns and be empathetic, maybe they’re having a bad day,” said Angelos.
Being the bearer of bad news
If there’s one thing CEOs feel guilty about, “it’s laying people off,” said CEO coach Avery Roth. They feel so bad about it, they procrastinate.
Roth said that they offer the best exit terms possible, and noted that “if there are no other alternatives, you have to stop procrastinating and just do it.” Besides, as she tells the CEOs, they should remember that “getting laid off could lead to a pivotal moment for some.”
Asking for a raise
Money is another thorny subject, but with prices continuing to rise, some workers are having trouble making ends meet.
So, “now is the time to start thinking about asking for a raise,” said Tatiana Tsoir CPA, MBA and life coach. “There’s no time to wait. Inflation is making salary talks an important topic of discussion,” she said.
Although most career advisors don’t recommend requesting higher pay based on need, sometimes workers are left with little choice. “Say ‘yes’ to yourself, know your numbers and the value that you bring, then ask for a meeting. In person is best,” said Tsoir.
Don’t expect an answer on the spot — managers usually have to win approval from higher-ups — but do set a time, such as a week, to follow-up. Then do it.
Scary as it might be to be refused, at least you’ll know where you stand.
Trouble with a colleague
A run-in with a co-worker is likely to happen at least once during your work lifetime. If it happens to you, “it’s natural to feel angry or upset during a conflict, but it’s important to stay calm and composed,” said Angelos. “Take a few deep breaths, and try to approach the conversation with a clear head.
Avoid attacking or blaming the other person and focus on the issues at hand.”
Active listening is key to resolving conflicts.
“Allow the other person to express their feelings and point of view without interrupting or dismissing them,” said Angelos. “Repeat back what you’ve heard to ensure you understand their perspective.”
Whatever tricky situation you’re dealing with, don’t procrastinate.
“Sometimes we like to wait things out and hope that they will sort themselves out,” said Tsoir. But, “the longer you wait to address the problem, the bigger the problem becomes.”
