Powerful Question
One question I usually like to reflect on with people I work with.
“How would a fight-or-flight response look like? What — in the context of our topic — would lead to a fight-or-flight response?”
The fight-or-flight response is a primal survival instinct where our brains go into shutdown mode. It has helped humanity endure for millennia.
It’s fascinating how our logical thinking seems to falter in those moments, and the decisions we make can later seem foolish.
Our brains don’t distinguish between a life-threatening predator and the emotional intensity of a high-stakes, conflicting discussion, such as receiving feedback during an end-of-year performance review.
So, how can we avoid falling prey to this disastrous fight-or-flight response? The truth is, we can’t completely eliminate it. It’s a deeply ingrained response honed over thousands of years of evolution.
However, what we can do is recognize it when it happens and be mindful of our reactions. By reflecting on these two questions, we gain self-awareness, which allows us to identify the response.
It’s essential to learn to observe what occurs in our minds and bodies during these moments. When the fight-or-flight response hijacks our thoughts, we should take a moment to breathe and calm ourselves down. We must remind ourselves that it is not a physical threat and allow our logical thinking to regain control.
Each of us may have different strategies for regaining control. For instance, I personally remind myself of the behavior I wish to be remembered for after the discussion concludes.
What is your strategy? Let’s continue this conversation and share our insights.”
#coaching #people #strategy #leadership #growth
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