Managing Crises with PAUSE

I have realized that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she reacts when a household appliance breaks down. Think back… I am sure you can remember an incident… the washing machine, the hot water tank, the dishwasher, the barbecue…

You may respond, “ But it’s NORMAL to fly off the handle, to curse, to blame your spouse, to throw things, to hit the wall, to stew for three days, to worry about the money, to be wary of appliances in general, to call the company to complain, to... .” You get the picture. You KNOW the picture. Perhaps you are speaking for yourself OR - as I have found myself doing many times in the past - speaking for someone else.

Perhaps it is “normal”. My question is this: Do you want to be normal if it drives up your blood pressure and/or drives your spouse out the door? Do you want to be normal if it creates so much tension in the house that you can cut it with a knife? Do you want to be normal if your partner has to walk on eggshells around you because he or she never knows how you will respond (or, rather, he or she KNOWS how you will respond and would prefer to avoid it!)? Who wants to be normal when normal does more damage than good? In the end, the appliance is still broken and, now your relationship may be, too.

I suggest you PAUSE. “Normal” has never led to greatness. Choose greatness! Embrace Your Potential!

To learn more about managing crises - household or otherwise - contact Lisa to find out about her fall offerings. http://www.embracingpotential.com