Inspiring Workplaces 
The Way Work Ought to Be!

#1,064 - March 26, 2025

Do you ever need to lower the temperature in a heated conversation? Is there sometimes a tad too much DRAMA in your office? (And not the fun kind of drama...you know, The Young and The Restless or Copacabana kind of drama.) 

A study by Leadership IQ found that high-drama environments results in increased stress, decreased engagement, and lower productivity. The study found that emotional overreactions can create confusion, amplify negativity, and derail meaningful work. 

Leadership expert Mark Murphy recommends a simple strategy for dealing with overly dramatic conversations: Take a page from Sargent Joe Friday of Dragnet TV fame and just ask for the facts. (Okay, I may have lost the under fifty-five crowd here. Dragnet was a 1950s police show and fun fact - Joe Friday actually never once said, "Just the facts ma'am," even though he has been forever linked to that line. But I digress.) 

Murphy recommends that when someone is overly emotional, for example when they storm into your office in a panic shouting about the havoc wreaked by a loose wombat, that you can calm the waters and steer the conversation by simply saying, "I understand you're stressed, but please, I just need the facts" or "I hear you, please just tell me what has happened." 

Stay neutral. Stay calm. Redirect the conversation by repeatedly asking for just the facts if necessary. Focusing on the facts neutralizes the emotional response, lowers the temperature in the room, and focuses everyone on actionable solutions.