Handling Emotions Under Pressure

Event ID: P10350
Info: Sep 25 • Fri • 8:00-11:30am • 1 mtg • UHM Krauss 012 (Yukiyoshi Room) • $95 (General), $75 (Certificate participant)
With: Kathy Novak

In high-pressure work environments, emotions are bound to erupt. When you are able to deal with the emotions and move the discussion forward, a solution is more likely to occur. Gain a process for handling the emotions in daily work situations. Learn to remain calm and objective, to recover quickly and to help others do the same, and to take charge in difficult circumstances to keep the discussion moving forward.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants are able to:

• Explain why emotions are normal, and can even be helpful, in work situations.


• Identify situations in which emotional behavior is inhibiting productive discussion.


• Explain why the ability to maintain composure at work, or to regain it quickly, is an important skill.


• Identify ways to manage their own reactions to the emotional behavior to others.


• Use appropriate techniques to diffuse emotional behavior when it hinders progress in a work discussion.

• Acknowledge the person's emotion and describe its impact.


• Invite the other person to share thoughts and feelings.


• Determine whether continuing the discussion is appropriate.


• Listen to understand.


• Probe to uncover underlying issues.


• Communicate your understanding.


• Help the person move on.

Kathy Novak has 20 years of experience working as a senior human resources professional. Prior to starting Crackerjack Consulting in 1998, she was corporate director of human resources for Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, vice president of human resources for First Interstate Bank, director of human resources for McInerny, Inc., and personnel administrator for Pomare Ltd., dba Hilo Hattie. She is a certified human resources professional, certified as an AchieveGlobal facilitator, and also a trained investigator. Novak currently serves on the Salvation Army Board as chair of its Camp Homelani Committee, and recently retired from the Mediation Center of the Pacific, where she sat on its Personnel Committee. She still does volunteer mediation. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and was a speaker at their national conference, Imagination 2000, held in Las Vegas. She has spoken at the SHRM Hawai‘i State Conference, the 2000 Leadership Local Style Conference, and the Western Area College and Business Officer's Conference held on Maui in 2004.