Escalating and De-escalating.pptx

Escalating and De-escalating Appropriately 1 1  Introduction to Escalation and De-escalation As T3’s in an active environment, such as an Amazon Facility, we must always be aware of our surroundings. We are all aware of physical chan...

Escalating and De-escalating Appropriately 1 1  Introduction to Escalation and De-escalation As T3’s in an active environment, such as an Amazon Facility, we must always be aware of our surroundings. We are all aware of physical changes to our work environment, such as jams on our conveyance, or a power outage to our building. However, we also need to be aware of changes to the emotional environment, or “mood”, of our team as well. 2 Amazon Confidential 2  Objective As a T3 you have been entrusted to make decisions. In this session we will help you identify some (not all) of the environmental changes you may face, and how to handle them. 3 Amazon Confidential 3  Terms Escalation: Webster’s Dictionary defines escalation as “a rapid increase; a rise.” This may sound like a negative thing, and it can be. However there are times that we need to escalate a situation. Sometimes we are not the right person to solve a problem. We need to identify that, and know when to escalate. De-escalation: Webster’s Dictionary defines de- escalation as “reduction of the intensity of a conflict or potentially violent situation.” 4 Amazon Confidential 4  When to Escalate When should you escalate a situation: Ask yourself the following: Do I have the knowledge required to resolve this problem? Do I have the ability to resolve this problem? Is there a potential for this problem to get worse if action is not taken? What is the scope of the impact of this situation? NOTE: It is also important to clarify that we never want you to physically escalate a situation. Never escalate physically with another employee, and never escalate with equipment, or a process that you are not trained or certified to use. 5 Amazon Confidential 5  When to Escalate So when should you escalate? When there is an Associate issue that would be best handled by HR or a manager. Do not get yourself involved, Take the issue to HR or one of the managers on shift. When there is a system issue/outage that is impacting multiple people, and you cannot identify the resolution. 6 Amazon Confidential 6  How to De-escalate There may be situations that present themselves where you do not have the time, or the ability to escalate immediately. In these situations it is important to de- escalate. There are 10 tips to keep in mind when de-escalating a situation. 1. Be Empathetic and 1. Focus on Feelings Nonjudgmental 2. Give Helpful Choices 2. Respect Personal Space 3. Allow Silence for Reflection 3. Use Nonthreatening Non- 4. Allow Time for Decisions verbals 5. Motivate the Other Person 4. Keep Your Emotions in Check 5. Actively Listen 7 Amazon Confidential 7  Be Empathetic and Nonjudgmental Remember that the person you are talking to genuinely believes in what you are talking about. If they are passionate about it, there is a reason for that. You may not feel that the reason is justified, but they do. Keep that in mind as you address their concerns. 8 Amazon Confidential 8  Respect Personal Space This is important for both you, and the person you are engaging. Remember to respect their personal space by being conscious of your position, posture, and proximity during the conversation. Also, respectfully ask them to do the same. 9 Amazon Confidential 9  Use Nonthreatening Non- Verbals When a person is stressed, they are less likely to hear your words. In this situation it is important to be aware of any nonverbal communication you may be having. If you can keep your tone and body language neutral, it will go a long way to defusing a difficult situation. Be aware of your: Gestures Facial Expressions Movements Tone of Voice 10 Amazon Confidential 10  Keep Your Emotions in Check This can be one of the most challenging tasks during a de- escalation scenario. It is also one of the most important. Remember that the situation will not get better if you do not remain calm. Your ability to control your emotions has a direct effect on the outcome of the situation. 11 Amazon Confidential 11  Actively Listen By following steps 1 through 4, you have now set yourself up to become an active listener. To actively listen we must: Give our full attention to the person speaking to us Follow their motions and make eye contact when possible Reflect on what they are saying, and ask questions that show you are paying attention to them. When we are actively listening we are not: Working on other tasks Engaged in other conversation Looking at our phone or laptop 12 Amazon Confidential 12  Focus on Feelings Remember that when a person has high emotions, their feelings will be more pronounced, and the facts of the situation may be lost in those feelings. We can support them by saying things like: “That must have been scary” “I’m sorry that you feel that way” “Wow, it sounds like that was a very difficult situation” 13 Amazon Confidential 13  Give Helpful Choices Now that we have heard them, and acknowledged their concerns, we must give them helpful choices to resolve the situation. Remember to keep your personal emotions and feelings out of your solutions. Look for a solution that will most completely resolve the issue Don’t be afraid to say “I really want to come up with the best answer for you, is it ok if I take some time to research this and get back to you.” If you need to do this always give a specific timeframe for the follow up. 14 Amazon Confidential 14  Allow Silence for Reflection When someone has been in a highly emotional environment it takes time to process. So after you have provided a solution, or a list of solutions, it may take them some time to give you an answer. That’s ok. Allow for there to be silence in this situation. 15 Amazon Confidential 15  Allow Time for Decisions The person may ask for time to make a decision. That’s ok too. Let them take the time they need to process what happened, and come back to you with their answer. Depending on the situation you may, or may not want to set a timeframe. If you aren’t sure, it’s usually best to let the person you are engaging set the timeframe for their decision. 16 Amazon Confidential 16  Motivate the Other Person The final step is to encourage the person you are engaging. You have both worked through a tough situation, and you now have a way forward. Thank them for bringing their concern to you, and motivate them to help you action the solution. 17 Amazon Confidential 17  Conclusion You are now prepared for situations in which you may need to escalate or de-escalate. With that said, never hesitate to seek help. Do the best you can in the situation, but always seek a partner from HR, Safety, LP, or Management if you feel a situation is out of your scope. 18 Amazon Confidential 18 Put it to Work Role Play Scenario 1: You need to send 5 trained associates over to another department. Your friend who is trained, does not want to go. Since this needs to be done quickly, you tell them they have no option but to go. Play out this scenario where the person playing the associate is encourage to push back to see how the PA handles this situation. Amazon Confidential 19  Questions? 20 Amazon Confidential 20