In our post last week, we used a version of our Pause framework, to help you in reflecting on your priorities, so that you can live a life of satisfaction and fulfillment.
If you’ve been with us for any length of time, you’ll know that the Pause is one of the foundations of the work that we do, and can be a helpful tool in your leadership.
We initially developed it to help people interrupt their reactivity. Over the years, we’ve used it countless times in our leadership training and coaching, and truly, it can change your life.
The Pause can support you in
decreasing your reactivity
and increasing your ability
to reflect on what you’re doing,
so that you can choose how to respond.
When we talk about reactivity, we’re talking about the very human tendency to do what we’ve always done in the past.
The good news is that there is a moment in between what’s incoming, and your reaction to it. In that moment, you can PAUSE and interrupt your reactivity.
Here’s what our framework looks like:
When you feel yourself getting reactive,
- PAUSE
- Take a breath, a sip of water, or a walk down the hall.
- Ask yourself, “Is what I’m about to do or say in alignment with my goal?”
- If the answer is “Yes”, well done! Take a few minutes after the interaction to celebrate that success.
- If the answer is “No”, then take a moment to consider how you might respond as the leader you want to be.
If you’d like a PDF version of our Pause framework, along with some questions to help you get started, click on the link below.
You don’t have to let your reactivity own you. Take some time to consider what your leadership goal is and then practice using the Pause.
If you mess up, that’s okay—it’s not easy to retrain our brains, but it IS possible. We encourage you to keep practicing.
You’ve got this!
If you’d like support
adding the PAUSE to your days,
contact us today.
