When you find yourself in a heated conversation, how do you usually handle it?

Our reader poll today asks: When you find yourself in a heated conversation, how do you usually handle it?

• I keep arguing until the other person capitulates 3.92%
• I push the argument too far but take a break before it’s irreparable 12.61%
• I catch myself and suggest a break in the discussion to calm down 34.34%
• I stop as soon as things start getting heated and seek to understand 49.13%

Pause, then discuss. The majority of you (84%) recognize when a discussion is getting heated and insert a pause to calm things down and continue the conversation when it can be productive. Having this self-awareness is critical – especially for leaders. It’s easy to let our emotions get the better of us. If you know there are people, topics, or situations that create the risk of you getting heated, go into those discussions prepared to hit the pause button. Carrying that awareness into the interaction will help you slow things down and arrest the discussion before it spirals out of control. A pause – whether it be for a minute or a few days – can save a relationship and result in a much better outcome for all involved.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 240,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.