Taking Action in Times of Doubt

Inertia.

I have talked with leaders who have moved into a new, broader role and with people who have lost their jobs and with leaders who have gotten negative reviews and with folks who are struggling through an emotional upheaval. And, I have thought about some of my most difficult times.

Once we have gotten to a better place - we've had success in the new role; we've had some interviews or landed a new job; we've successfullly rebounded from the constructive and sometimes painful feedback; we've navigated through personal loss or upheaval and regained our balance - I often hear people talk about how they experienced a low-activity time. A time when they couldn't act, didn't know what action to take - when they simply were stuck.

And, this reminds me of the Cycle of Renewal© model that is central to the teaching of the Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara. For more information, see their website: http://www.hudsoninstitute.com/

This elegant but not simple model helps describe the inertia that can anyone facing the situations described above. When things are going well - we are hitting on all cylanders - we are in Phase 1 or Go For It.



However, when things take a difficult turn we can move into Phase 2, The Doldrums which is defined as " a down time, a protracted sense of decline, when you're not happy with your life chapter, but you don't think you can do much about it. The Doldrums are meant to serve as a wake-up call, an invitation to restructure or reinvent your life so that it works for you once more."



How can we best react to the doldrums? What are some questions that can help us move, take a step, make a call, reach out, reflect, move on? And, how can we learn from this transition, this ending?

What has helped you through or learn from times of inertia?

• is it finding someone who will listen - just listen, not tell you what to do?
• is it journaling and sorting out your thoughts?
• is it letting go of what was - marking, celebrating, acknowledging the end?
• it is reconnecting to your core values?
• is it unearthing the most important questions to answer?
• isit thinking about how you have faced similar situations?
• is it giving yourself some space?
• is it thinking about what IS working?
• is it learning somehing new?

Many paaths - which one helps you through such times?

Hmm, it starts with me

As I have talked with people whose inner committees are working overtime, a few ideas seem to be repeated and the top rated item is: the reaction starts with us. When the inner committees' chatter nearly drowns out everything else, people report that these tips often work for them:

• creating some distance and some quiet, THEN reflection can begin
• creating space to recognize that these voices aren't necessarily right, they are just loud
• diverting attention to something else - going to a movie, for a walk, to coffee with a friend, to Yoga - allowing a new perspective that the din overshadowed
• disenfranchising the committee - taking back control from this insidious bunch
• creating a new committee - re-reading thank you notes, recognitions, replaying a time when you were at the top of your game
• asking others for ideas, new contacts with whom to network, or simply to find out how they have kept moving forward when things seemed to have stalled
• researching a topic that interests you or benefits a work in progress - this often created forward momentum and unleashes creativity
• listening to favorite tunes, ones that make you smile or dance or sing
• taking a break, giving yourself permission to do whatever it is that rejuvenates you

I am sure there are others! These are just the ones friends and colleagues have found to be powerful, positive and rejuvenating.

Some folks have said the most important thing of all is to be aware of the power we have given the committee. And that awareness allows us to silence them long enough to listen to other perspectives. And that along helps us breaks through the logjam.

Interesting...