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De-escalating Tense Situations
De-escalation is a skill. This guide teaches athletes how to read a room, recognize when things are heating up, and take steps to cool things down before they spiral.
Steps
- Read the room: raised voices, clenched fists, sudden silence are warning signs.
- Lower your voice and slow your speech: calm is contagious.
- Create physical space: move between people or suggest stepping outside.
- Use 'I' statements: 'I'm worried this is getting out of hand' not 'You need to calm down.'
- Know when to walk away and get help: not every situation is yours to fix.