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    July 23rd, 2013

    Making good choices in a bad situation

    When people run in circles

    It’s a very very
    Mad world, mad world  … ♫

    Music and Lyrics by Tears for Fears, recorded by: Michael Andrews & Gary Jules.

    CB049359

     

    All of us are DNA hardwired for ‘fight or flight’.  Being lawyers, the fight option has been honed to a fine edge.  However, there are times when the other option may be the better option.  It is inevitable that we are going to encounter people who attack us, counter us, oppose our ideas or simply do not like us. Our immediate impulse is to react and attack.  It is not easy but ultimately fighting is not the best reaction – it turns a one-sided reaction into a battle of two egos.  We end up responding to a tussle of who is right?

    As a practice advisor I see this scenario played out all the time. Giving objective advice when one is on the outside is completely different from being on the inside. Having had a recent personal encounter in such a situation, I can say that it is much harder to make the right decisions when you are the one involved.  I went searching for answers. So here are some tips that I have found for helping to make the right choice:

    • Anger feeds anger:  This is a downward spiral that causes us to feel more compelled to defend ourselves the angrier our thoughts become.
    • It is about them: Most times negativity is a reflection of the other person’s inner state. It isn’t about you – you just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. They are frustrated, angry and in conflict and they are looking for someone to take down with them.
    • It is a waste of energy: Do we really want to invest all that time and emotional energy in responding?
    • It is going to affect you:  If the fight response emerges, you are going to drag that negativity into other parts of your life when you get home.  Do you really want to poison your positive home life this way?
    • You can choose:  Ultimately you can’t control what people do and say; what you can decide is how you react.  You can choose a better way.
    • Wait it out: Draft the response letter and lock it away in a drawer for Monday.  Chances are by then you will have different – more rational – options to deal with this person.
    • Forgive: Yes forgive.  If you don’t then the negativity takes hold inside you.
    • Go for a Run:  Get away from the situation and expend some physical energy. You will feel better for it.
    • Best/Worst case analysis:  Negotiation theory speaks of BATNAs: The Best Alternative to a Negotiated Situation.  What is the best and worse case scenarios if you do and do not respond.
    • Evaluate from Your Perspective: Recall that this person is trying to draw you into their game plan.  Ask yourself: Will responding to this person advance the things that are most important to me?
    • Look for the Lesson: Inside each difficult situation is something that will help you grow as a person. Don’t lose the opportunity.
    • Let Go: Write out all your thoughts about this situation – roll the paper into a ball and throw it away. Now – carry on with your life!

    Responding to mad people is not easy.  If it was, then the world wouldn’t have negative people running in circles making life difficult for others.

    This article originally appeared in the Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia branch’s publication BarTalk.

    This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013 at 5:00 am and is filed under Change Management, Firm Governance, humour, Issues facing Law Firms, Law Firm Strategy, Leadership and Strategic Planning, personal focus and renewal, Tips, Trends. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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