You've just finished an hour-long call with a difficult customer who is always looking to get more from your company than you can give. He concluded today's exasperating call by insisting he'd like to speak to your boss to see whether he is willing to make further concessions.
What actions can you take to benefit from meditative techniques?
- Inhale to the count of three and exhale to the count of six
- From a seated position, slowly relax each muscle group in your body, working downwards or upwards between your head and feet
- Use guided meditation with music and words to visualize relaxing scenes and sensations
Reflect on your own behavior and that of others in your workplace and then match the observed behavior to the appropriate personality type.
- Expressive-Impulsive - Victor is enthusiastic, people-oriented, and enjoys motivating others, but is not good with details or follow-through
- Christine is an enthusiastic, optimistic, people-person, who is great at motivating others, but isn't great at following through
- Analytical-Obsessive - Melanie is methodical, logical, and detail-oriented, but has difficulty letting go of anything that isn't perfect
- Quan is methodical, logical, and detail-oriented, but finds it hard to make decisions or let go of anything that isn't perfect
- Skeptical-Negative - Shirley is more interested in what is bad than what is good, and pulls people down instead of raising them up
- Joe is a complainer who occasionally behaves like a "victim" and is frequently quite adamant or opinionated
- Dominant-Controlling - Jose is outgoing, bold, assertive, and enjoy challenges, but can get impatient with others who are slow or indecisive
- Warren acts fast and is outgoing, bold, and assertive, but he lacks patience with anyone who is slow or indecisive
Your manager tends to deal with setbacks by angrily blaming everyone other than himself. He has just been informed that your team has missed two of its three performance targets and he is in a rage.
Which responses draw on the benefits of self-awareness?
- Try to slow down and take note of your physiological responses, such as your breathing and heartbeat
- Reflect on your feelings without exercising judgment
- Consciously move from reactive feelings to a more thoughtful, reasonable response
It's the last day of the financial quarter, and you and your colleagues are working hard to process the sales you've made in order to officially meet your targets and earn your bonuses. Everyone is already stressed, but then a problem with the local server shuts down your Internet connection.
Which reactions reflect meditative techniques?
- Inhale slowly and exhale twice as long as you inhaled
- Take a seat and, starting with your head or feet, slowly relax each muscle group until you have attended to each part of your body
- Relax and visualize a place that you find comforting, beautiful, or that elicits positive emotions
You manage a busy college admissions office staffed by people with a range of personalities, including a few who are argumentative and difficult. One of the worst culprits is Curt, who is storming around the office complaining that one of the others has "stolen" his scanner, even though it's clearly marked "department property." Usually, you would also react in bad temper and accuse Curt of acting like a child, but you're trying to adopt a more considered approach.
What actions can you take that demonstrate self-awareness?
- Explore the feelings you are experiencing, but do not judge those feeling
- Consciously move from reacting to Curt's blow-up, to come up with a thoughtful, reasonable response
- Slow down and take a moment to notice your own physiological responses, including your breathing, heart rate, and whether you are sweating
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