#27 Remember To Stop, Think And Laugh
May 26, 2008
Often when we get caught up in mayhem, we lose our tempers and our sense of humour. I found myself in this situation many times in the past. And, what was worse, I tended to overreact to situations that really didn’t warrant it. Then, of course, you know that you have overreacted and try to fix the damage- but it’s awkward.
I learned a good lesson from several close friends who ran very busy and full-on businesses that were far more demanding than mine. I was amazed at the way they would receive bad news about an unhappy customer or a lost shipment or some other unfortunate incident-things that would have made me rant and rave for an hour. They would stop, think for a moment, make a joke and then deal with it. They didn’t get emotional or overreact, but they did think about the situation, conduct a quick mental evaluation, and then lighten the mood and move on to deal with the problem.
This is a characteristic I have noticed in many excellent leaders-their ability to deal with a situation in a cool, calm manner and not lose their sense of humour.
Earlier in the website I mentioned that the key to change was to take some time to stop and think situations through rather than immediately react. We need to stop, think and then act. Normally things are not as bad as they first appear, but in an overwhelmed, stressed-out state we tend to take everything a little more personally than we normally would. It is part of the cycle. So we get angry easily, we get short with people and we tend to put on the martyr hat. (How could they do this to me? To get anything done right around here I have to do it myself.)
What can I do today?
Think back over the past week. Were there any situations you feel you could have handled better if you had taken some time to stop, think and laugh? Challenge yourself to rise to the occasion the very next time you are faced with a situation that would normally make you lose it. Find some humour in the situation and deal with it. You will become a better leader, your staff will learn from you and respect you and, most importantly, a load will be lifted from your shoulders.
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By N2H
