Tag Archives: anger

Fire Up. Delay. Breath. Respond.

In the past year of GAN-e-meed, of producing multiple projects, balancing spinning plates and juggling people and connections, this has been my most important lesson:

If the message via email or phone makes me angry.

Wait.

Wait.

Breath.

Write the angry response.

Wait.

Wait.

Breath.

Re-write the angry response.

Wait.

Wait.

Breath.

Re-write the angry response as a conservative “thank you for the information but here’s where you suck.”

Wait.

Wait.

Breath.

Re-write the conservative thank you as a polite “thank you for helping me see this new option or opportunity; I’ll do better next time.”

Send.

It places no one at blame.  It acknowledges that an exchange of information has occurred.  It keeps me from ruminating for the next three days.

And it’s kinder.