CUIMC Office of Well-Being

Tips for De-Escalation

If a colleague is agitated, threatening, or you are concerned about imminent risk, please call Public Safety. Follow these tips and guidance for de-escalation until help arrives, provided by the Crisis Prevention Institute:

1. Be Empathic and Non-Judgmental

  • Pay attention to the person—whatever they may be experiencing, it may be the most important thing in their life at the moment.

2. Respect Personal Space

  • Stand at least 1.5 - 3 feet away from a person who is escalating.
  • If you must enter someone’s personal space, explain your actions so the person feels less confused and/or frightened.

3. Use Nonthreatening, Nonverbal Communication

  • Keeping tone and body language neutral go a long way towards defusing a situation.
  • As a person escalates, they lose the ability to hear your words; they will increasingly react to your non-verbal communication (e.g., gestures, facial expressions, movements and tone of voice).

4. Keep Your Emotions in Check

  • Always remain calm, rational and professional; your actions will have a direct impact on whether or not the situation escalates.
  • Convey a sense that the situation is manageable, and that you know what steps to take. Doing so will help to keep both you and the colleague calm in the moment.

5. Focus on Feelings

  • Watch and listen carefully for the person’s real message and identify how the person is feeling.
  • Supportive words will help the person know that you understand what’s happening in the situation, and can help to elicit a positive response.

6. Set Limits

  • Give clear, simple and enforceable limits when a person’s behavior is belligerent, defensive or disruptive.
  • When a person is upset, they lose the ability to hear what you say. Be clear, speak simply and offer the positive choice first.

7. Choose Wisely What You Insist Upon

  • Offering people flexibility and options can help you avoid unnecessary conflicts or power struggles.
  • Be thoughtful in deciding which rules are negotiable, and which are not.
  • Silence is a powerful communication tool and can give people a chance to reflect on what’s happening and what steps they wish to take.
  • When a person is upset, they may not be able to think clearly. Give them a few moments to think through what you’ve said.
  • Stress increases when a person feels rushed. Allowing time can bring calm to the situation and allow for better decision making.

*Source: Crisis Prevention Institute

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