As a leader, have you stopped, pause, and reflected before reacting? I know this can be difficult at times, especially when in the middle of a crisis. We want to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. When pausing, we won’t jump immediately into the wrong conclusion.
Incorporating the Art of Pause into Leadership:
The PAUSE and REFLECT Technique
When at work and someone is rude to you. Or you don’t agree with them. Pause for three to five seconds before responding. Pausing will give you time to reframe your reply or decide not to respond at all.
Pause, Reflect and Don’t send an email response you will regret!
I think everyone has sent an email they regretted sending sometime or another.
What if you receive a nasty passive/aggressive email?
Before responding to the email. Write out your reply. Don’t send it and walk away. If possible sleep on it. Then rewrite the email response, when you have calmed down. Have someone else read it to help tone down the language before hitting the send button.
“Anger doesn’t solve anything. It builds nothing, but it can destroy everything”. – unknown
Don’t get me wrong as a leader. There are times you have to be direct with employees for them to improve their work performance. We can’t ignore the situation and let it continue. Have a plan on how to address it. Write it out and practice what and how to say it. There are also times when you do need to respond immediately and make a quick decision. When possible, take the opportunity to pause and reflect. What is happening around you? It may change your approach and captivate a great solution.
Discussion Questions:
What are your thoughts about the art of pause?
How will you incorporate it into your leadership style?
Comments are always welcome. You can always use your initials or anonymous for your name, if this makes you feel more comfortable to respond. 🙂 Did you find this helpful? if so, please share this blog post with your colleagues, friends, and family on all your social networks! Thank you. 🙂
For more information about Becoming a Better Leader [e-Book] Click here to download your copy.
Do you want even more work-life balance strategies? Come and join the Facebook group called Work-Life Balance with Patti
Work-Life Balance Hacks for Busy Leaders who LOVE their Career but Want MORE in Life!
This mini course is for leaders who are crazy busy, working 24/7 and want something more in life beyond their career. 7 easy hacks to create some personal life balance in this so-called busy life!
To schedule “one on one coaching” with Patti – click on the “Schedule Now” button below:
