When you are faced with a situation where you have felt aggrieved in some way, either by what someone did or said to you, don't let it hurt you or let it get you down. Certainly don't get angry or attempt to 'get even'. Take the higher ground by being humble and respectful. We humans like to be first, always winning, on top, the best, number one, etc. We definitely don't like being belittled, shouted at, or in some way have our feelings hurt. Take a long slow (silent) deep breath, thank the person for telling you how they feel and pause to see what they say back. You will be pleasantly surprised at the reaction.
Look for Opportunities
So often when we are faced with adversity we look at the event from a negative perspective. Why is this happening, what is going to happen now, what if this happens, I am a good person so why me? Don't panic, these negative thoughts are natural and is your brain's way of preparing for the worst stemming back to the beginning of time - linked to our freeze, fight or flee self-preservation mechanism. These are just thoughts and thoughts are easily changed because YOU control them.
When you next have a negative thought, replace it with a positive one. "This is exciting, I am going to step up to this challenge, I am going to tackle this head-on" are all ways to replace negative thoughts.
Does Resilience Coaching Work?
Of course resilience coaching works. Coaching to build resilience is a fairly recent field of psychology that is being embraced by many organisations across the world. Rather than focus on putting the pieces back together after a significant event in a persons life, resilience coaching is the fence at the top of the cliff preventing the negative impact of a significant event. The US Army launched a resilience training program in 2008 under the stewardship of Martin Seligman, the man who pioneered depression prevention. Known as Master Resilience Training (MRT) it is mandatory for all soldiers to attend. With over 14,000 trainers, over one million soldiers are now trained in the art of resilience.
Worry about the small stuff!
We are told not to worry about the small stuff. This may be so in business however is not applicable from a personal perspective. Small stuff can accumulate and lead to bigger issues. If you deal with the small stuff as it happens, the issue wont play on your mind leaving you to get on with the bigger stuff.
The Customer is Always Right?
This mantra is often touted in the service industry as the most important factor to remember. But is that the case? What if the customer is requesting something that is contrary to company policy, or seeking something that is unachievable?
A better mantra may be 'The Customer Always Comes First'. Work with the customer to find a common ground that is achievable and meets the company's policy.