Recently, we’ve heard from quite a number of clients that they’re finding they have an increasingly short fuse. They’re quick to react with anger and frustration, they find themselves answering questions and suggestions for innovation with “no” or “that won’t work,” and they’re often distracting themselves with behaviors that lead to further distress.
The stressors of our time are taking their toll.
These stressors are part of the reason we’ve recently been talking about building psychological safety in the organizations and communities where you live and work.
The research, and most people’s experience, is clear – when you’re in an environment where you can trust that your hopes, fears, successes, and failures can be shared and know that you’re safe from recrimination, you’re more committed, effective, and innovative.
These stressors are the reason we’ve also been talking about emotional agility. You’re more effective and successful if you can navigate everything that life throws at you and are able to understand your emotions but not be held hostage by them.
We also described how our leadership model, The Leader in You®, can support your emotional agility which supports the creation of psychological safety.
This week, we’re talking a bit more about the Pause which is the first step in the Leader in You® framework.
“Is what I’m about to do or say truly
in alignment with my goals and values?”
The simple act of pausing and asking yourself this can increase your ability to create psychological safety, to grow in emotional agility, and to stay on track with your priorities.
One of the things that regularly blows up psychological safety is the tendency to hear something upsetting or challenging and react defensively or in counterattack mode. Pausing leads to a decrease in your reactivity to all situations and increases your ability to respond, strengthening your emotional agility.
Pausing throughout the day helps when you get derailed by sparkly objects . . . like Facebook, complaining about someone else with a colleague, or cleaning your desk or writing your to-do list when you have a project deadline.
So, notice the simple act of pausing.
Take a breath, a sip of water, a walk to the bathroom . . . and ask yourself, “is what I’m about to do or say truly in alignment with my goals and values?”
That’s it. One extra moment.
Try implementing the Pause this week and see if you find your stress levels decreased.
Let us know how it’s working for you.
We’re here for you.
the PAUSE into action in your world,