Security guards often find themselves in situations where they have to deal with people who are angry, difficult, or in an altered state of mind. This can range from a person being denied entry to a party or event, or receiving the wrath of those who have been waiting in long lines or in overcrowded and crowded areas. A basic understanding of human psychology and a strong set of communication skills can go a long way when security officers and / or bodyguards find themselves in these situations. There are several ways to defuse a situation with an angry person or deal with difficult people in general, all of which relate to these types of skills and knowledge.
Listen: When receiving an angry person, the security guard must demonstrate good listening skills, even if they know that the agitated person is wrong. By allowing the person to vent their frustrations and express their opinion, it will be easier to deal with them. One of the main reasons that customers and ordinary citizens lose their cool and become aggressive is the feeling that they are not being heard; simply acknowledging your feelings can lessen the intensity of the situation. Let them know that they have a valid reason to be upset and reassure them that their situation is being handled as quickly as possible.
Understanding: Security officers should try to empathize whenever possible to show understanding of why the person is upset. When appropriate, saying something like “I can imagine how frustrated you must be, and I apologize for the inconvenience,” is all a person needs to hear to reduce their anger and redirect their feelings in a different way. Let them know that their feelings are important and that their complaint will not go unnoticed. Make sure you don’t come across as condescending when you express your understanding; If the person feels underappreciated above all else, his behavior could escalate and the guard will have to work twice as hard to calm him down.
Do not react: The most important thing is that the officer should never react to the aggression of a person with more aggression. While it is tempting to match this person’s tone and “stand your ground,” yelling at an agitated person will not accomplish anything productive and will make the officer or guard appear unprofessional. The guards should try to ignore insults and careless comments to the best of their ability, despite their growing frustration. Angry people often say things in the heat of the moment and they don’t mean much of what they’re venting. Furthermore, it is appropriate and beneficial to admit mistakes if the situation calls for it; Security officers should not be afraid to gently correct false or inaccurate statements, but should do so as calmly as possible. A good example would be a person who says “I’ve been queuing for hours”; the guard might respond with “My watch shows that it has actually been 35 minutes, but I understand it must seem like hours,” if that’s the case.
Agreement: It can also be helpful to try to agree with the angry person on something, even something arbitrary, as it is an openness that can lead to other agreements in the conversation. Doing this temporarily shifts the power from the security guard who appears to be in charge of the temporary fate of this person to the person who feels they are being treated unfairly. If it is a place where the guard is patrolling and the person makes a comment about the poor customer service they are experiencing, the guard could play on both sides of the fence while remaining professional and seemingly validating the annoying person; Saying something like, “Well, I don’t have any personal experience with staff here, but you’re not the first person to express dissatisfaction with them,” is a good way to stay neutral and control the person’s anger.