Have you ever been in the presence of a leader who is ranting, angry or overwhelmed?
How did you feel at that moment?
You can be assured that in that moment that leader wasn’t capable of either thinking or behaving effectively.
If the leader is in that emotionally unstable state, then trust and respect in that leader is deservedly being rapidly lost.
Confidence in a leader is often reliant upon that leader being calm and centred when all others around them are losing their emotional stability, succumbing to the stress created by their response to a situation.
It is natural to become emotionally responsive to volatility, complexity, ambiguity and uncertainty.
Under those conditions it is the leader’s responsibility to bring a calm and centred state to the situation, in order to deal effectively with it.
To do that the leader must model the way by being calm and centred in his or her self. Telling or asking others to be calm and centred whilst not being in that state oneself won’t work!
Steps to You Becoming Calm and Centred
- Pause and take three deep breaths.
- Recognise that there exists a solution or remedy to the situation, even if it is not immediately apparent.
- Remember that you have resolved all previous dilemmas – or you wouldn’t be here now.
- Recognise that you care about the values you all subscribe to and that their application is a part of the solution.
- Recognise that you can be calm and centred.
- State that you are calm and centred i.e. “I am calm and centred”
- Show them that you are calm and centred.
Next Steps
- Ask them to help you resolve or remedy the situation, by first becoming calm and centred themselves.
- Help them become calm and centred by walking them through what you did.
- Now work together to resolve the situation.
Please share your experience about becoming calm and centred.
