You’ve had it! Person X has just irritated you again. You are about to scream, when something you heard at a Humanergy work session comes to mind. Stop, Think, Choose.
Yes, it’s true. We all choose our behavior. No one makes us do anything. So how do we resist the urge to lash out?
Stop. Create a choice space, a moment to orient your thinking. It could be as simple as a breath or could be a change of environment, or moving away from your computer to another table or meeting room. Go grab a notepad and pen, turn your cell phone to vibrate…create an opportunity for you to orient yourself to responding clearly and logically, not reacting.
Think. Make sure you understand the situation and have all the information you need. Do this by:
- Summarizing your understanding before making comment or asking questions
- Clarify your understanding by using at least 3 open-ended questions before voicing your opinion
- Tell your team you are going to do this and need their help to ensure you change the habit
- Get into the shoes of your people…understand situations and information from their perspective
Choose. Choose your behavior based on your understanding of the situation and the greater good.
When you successfully Stop, Think, Choose, don’t forget to celebrate. Your actions will have a positive domino effect.
Have a question or want some input from Humanergy about this topic? Contact us and we’ll get right back to you!