10 Tips to stay in the sweet spot in Times of Disruption
By the National MCH Workforce Development Center
Create a motto.
Our current motto right now is Stay Steady. How are you letting your colleagues know that you care and that you are responsive to a changing landscape? Don’t give in to tendencies to control or protect too much — give freely and that will have a multiplier effect leading to new possible opportunities. Be kind to yourself as well … this is a lot of change layered on more change to manage, and you are human. What’s your motto right now?
Ask: How am I exhibiting steadiness and encouraging feelings of reassurance with others?
Give grace.
We are all feeling a lot of different emotions and maybe exhibiting a wide variety of human responses to stress. This is an opportunity to learn more about what’s most important to one another. There are no right or wrong ways to experience multiple layers of stress. Be patient and accepting. We are personally providing opportunities to just listen and validate others’ feelings.
Ask: How am I making space to just sit with my feelings and reactions without judgment?
Plan but don’t panic.
Is this the time for contingency plans? Yes. Is this the time to think through possible scenarios and the mitigation strategies for each? Yes. As you ideate for how to adjust your position to meet or address the most pressing issues, think through what the possible opportunities and tradeoffs might be for each. Put it on paper! Think through if X happens, we will mitigate by doing Y.
Ask: What actions, words, or experiences are calming and reassuring to me? How can I integrate them into daily and weekly practices?
Self-care elevates to a top priority.
Self-care has deeper significance in times of disruption.The things that make us feel connected to our true selves become must-haves versus nice-to-haves in order to stay in a “regulated” place where clear thinking and action-taking can thrive. We may need new ideas to add to our self-care toolbox.
Ask colleagues and friends: What self-care efforts work for you?
Be open to reframing, repositioning, reimagining.
Part of what is hard about change is letting go of ways of thinking, being, and doing that worked for us in the not-so-distant past, at least temporarily. If thinking of new ways is challenging, look to your colleagues who love a good brainstorm and ask for an assist.
Ask: Who in my circles enjoy imagining new possibilities?
Recover quickly; adjust.
This only means that adaptive leaders don’t spend a lot of energy lamenting why things didn’t go as planned. Instead, they acknowledge what’s happening and that things are changing as it comes and can help others develop and deliver new plans. Make sure your inner dialogue is one that is encouraging as you iterate.
Affirm to yourself: I am doing really well considering circumstances; I can keep going.
Model well.
This is the time to engage with the people we serve as they want to hear from trusted resources. Model flexibility and the ability to create new paths, even if temporary. Many people are feeling stressed, anxious, and fearful. Providing reassurance and reinforcing positive thinking can be very helpful to many. Modeling your own ability to be adaptive and hopeful goes a long way.
Say to others: Yes, your feelings are valid. What is working well in new circumstances? What can we be hopeful about?
Tune out so you can tune in.
We have information and messaging coming at us from so many different sources. In times of disruption, it’s good to tune out the barrage of information so that your brain space is freed up for the important work you need to do.
Nothing is more precious than our attention, but we give it away without knowing its cost.
Ask: What actions bolster your personal will to desire a little less noise? How can you set healthy boundaries related to engaging with (social) media and others’ processing and engagement?
Lean into your networks and relationships.
There is comfort in company. There are also opportunities for learning when we stretch to engage different perspectives and get and stay curious.
Gathering different perspectives on both emerging problems faced by the people and organizations we support as well as possible solutions will provide you with key information that may help you to discover new opportunities. Bolster one another’s well intentions and efforts.
Ask for permission or invitation to unload feelings and reactions, and reciprocate with deep listening.
Find your confidence in the uncomfortable place of the unknown.
Having self-awareness about what aspects of the current situation are making you feel out of sorts is helpful so that you can address them (and find support) so that you can restore your confidence.
Affirm to yourself: I am resourceful with many talents and skills and am part of a robust network of dedicated colleagues; I have what I need to carry on. ~
Editor’s Note: This article is reproduced from the MCH Workforce Development Center. For more information about the center, check out: https://mchwdc.unc.edu/learning-journey/