Peace Is Just a Step Away

This blog was the topic of a recent coaching session I was having with a senior Manager and I thought it would be useful, for you also.

When you are in the problem (whatever it may be) all there is, is more of the problem!

I bet your impressed with my rational, right? So... when we are faced with hardships, difficulties, threats, setbacks, emotional trauma etc... we are not able to easily assess the solution.

If you're a coach there are times when your client will have a "weighty" concern they want you to assist them with. You'll also, if in a manager or team leader role. You'll likely have staff coming to you with demands of every kind, and want you to immediately address their issue. Naturally, they are great at coming to your office when you have every other emergency flaring up all around you!!!

Got the picture yet? For some of you, this is your day to day reality - right? (close though, aye).

Would you like a technique that would ensure you maintain your sanity in a moment of crises and improve the quality of your decision making?

This isn't rocket science. The technique is quite simple, and those are the techniques I prefer to use. Consider using these techniques when you are already inundated with demands and someone comes to you with what they believe, is an emergency, (The scenario is where you are the senior person in the situation i.e. Mother to daughter, Manager to Staff, CEO to General Manager) these are the options you have:

• Ask them to briefly outline the key components of what the emergency or issue is.



• Ask them to rate the emergency from 1-10. (10 being critical and 1 being low need).



• Based on their score and your interpretation of their score. Tell them that you will get back to them immediately, in a specific time frame i.e. 30,60 or 90 minutes.

Set the time for you to get back to them, based on these 3 things:

1. What you have to deal with at the moment, prior to them calling on you


2. The score they have rated the situation (1-10)


3. Your interpretation of the situation based on your knowledge and experience

• Make sure you do get back to them when you said you would. (very important)


• If they come back to you before the time you have said you'd get back to them. Remind them of your agreement and resume what you were doing.

So there you have it. Simple aye?

Take The Step

There is something else that you can do when you are being swamped and overwhelmed by it all. In your mind step back and distance yourself (mentally and emotionally) from what's happening around you. Yes, this may take practice. You've done it before though. You've looked and thought about a particular situation or event as an unattached observer. Think about a time when you have done that. You've heard news and NOT been attached to it. You've seen media reports or heard stories without being connected to them. You've listened with distance and observed without attachment. That's what I want you to be able to do when hell flares up!

Step back from it.

Take some mental and emotional space. (while having not moved from your desk). Observe the issues and demands for what they are - information, data, reports, requests... and that's all!

By stepping back we enable ourselves to be at peace with the turmoil going on around us and from that mental approach we can rationally assess and solve the issues we face.

Try it. Get good at it. Practice it. The personal performance benefits are huge.

If you have a personal coach, then take this approach to your next coaching session and have that as a coaching outcome for you. For you to be able to step back from situations when you most need to, in times of overwhelm, in times of chaos.

Staff Need it Too

Oh, and as an added technique for the staff member who is likely standing at your door. Demanding you address an issue. Say to them "... take a breath, step back, just for a moment from the situation that you want me to deal with and sit down and tell me calmly what's happening..." (you use your words, for it to be authentic).

By inviting them to step back from it, they are better able to speak to you about it and for them to grasp the situation more rationally also.

Link this blog writing with the one I wrote earlier on "Stop the Fire Fighting" and you'll have a well rounded approach to demanding staff, management, children and life in general.

Take the step back and enjoy the peace!