What advice would you give to a fellow dispatcher who was stressed out?
"I would tell my colleague that talking it out can help a lot. I think that if something is bothering you, you should talk to a manager or supervisor as soon as possible. Stress can become elevated when a situation is allowed to brew and grow."
Being able to handle stress is a fantastic skill, but being able to talk your colleagues off the ledge during their peak times of stress is an entirely different skill. Discuss with the interviewer what you would say or do to help a coworker cope with the stress of dispatch work. Be sure to show smarts, empathy, and a transparent methodology for stress-management.
"I track my stressors and then visit them regularly. I will write them down on a note in my phone and then at the end of the day, or the week; I will try to track the regular offenders. Once I can pinpoint the stressors that occur too regularly, I make a plan to eliminate or at least alleviate them. If I had a colleague who was stressed out, I would share that method with them and help them to implement it if they were interested."
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Anonymous Answer
For me, I handle stress in a way that keeps me organized. I am a big "list person," and so keeping lists of anything and everything helps to keep me calm and collected. Whether that be a list of things that are stressing me out or a list of things I need to get done. I know not everyone is a list person, so I would suggest the co-worker try and identify what is causing them stress and writing it down so that they can challenge themselves to focus on it at a later time.
Cindy's Feedback
Good. The question seeks techniques that you apply and that work for you, and you've explained yours well!
Anonymous Answer
When becoming stressed, It helps me to step back and see the situation as an opportunity to be thankful. I remind fellow dispatchers of why they are here. They are here to learn, help, and be a part of a team. The difficult calls teach us the most, prepare us the best for the next, and garner the support of our team. I would then thank them for taking their share of calls.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent! This is all great advice for a fellow dispatcher who is stressed out. Are there any stress relief techniques you can also talk about with them? How exactly do you alleviate stress? Deep breathing? Socializing? Exercising after work?
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