Which approach best supports a colleague with travel anxiety before a critical meeting?

Which approach best supports a colleague with travel anxiety before a critical meeting?

• A. Dismiss the fear and push to go.
• B. Avoid discussing it.
• C. Acknowledge fear, provide reassurance, and share that you also feel nervous sometimes.
• D. Over-prepare and micromanage every detail.

Answer: (C)

When someone is anxious before an important meeting, offering supportive, validating communication is most effective. Acknowledging their fear, providing reassurance, and sharing that you also feel nervous sometimes creates a sense of safety and normalizes emotions. This approach reduces isolation, builds trust, and lets the colleague know they’re not alone in their experience. It also opens the door to practical support without pressuring them to act immediately or micromanage every detail. Pushing them to go despite the anxiety (or telling them to simply ignore it) can increase pressure and fear, making it harder to perform. Avoiding the topic sends the message that their feelings aren’t welcome, which can deepen stress. Over-preparing and micromanaging can feel like control, potentially diminishing their confidence and autonomy. In contrast, the compassionate, collaborative stance in this option addresses the emotional aspect first and can lead to more effective coping and readiness for the meeting.

When someone is anxious before an important meeting, offering supportive, validating communication is most effective. Acknowledging their fear, providing reassurance, and sharing that you also feel nervous sometimes creates a sense of safety and normalizes emotions. This approach reduces isolation, builds trust, and lets the colleague know they’re not alone in their experience. It also opens the door to practical support without pressuring them to act immediately or micromanage every detail.

Pushing them to go despite the anxiety (or telling them to simply ignore it) can increase pressure and fear, making it harder to perform. Avoiding the topic sends the message that their feelings aren’t welcome, which can deepen stress. Over-preparing and micromanaging can feel like control, potentially diminishing their confidence and autonomy. In contrast, the compassionate, collaborative stance in this option addresses the emotional aspect first and can lead to more effective coping and readiness for the meeting.