When faced with a high-stress situation, one that even feels threatening, it can feel like we don’t have control over our response. Research has shown that our bodies can instinctively go into a “fight-or-flight” reaction. As a leader, the more effectively you can self-regulate these reactions the better you can lead and help others. Recent research in the field of neuroscience offers insights into this process of self-regulation and how you can move from the fight-or-flight response to a higher state of openness that invites collaboration, creativity, and thriving.

 

Step 1– Understanding: The first step is knowing the biology behind these reactions and accepting that being at level one, two, or three is normal. Knowing where you are on the hierarchy gives you choice and the power to shift.

Step 2– Awareness: When you feel challenged, notice the physical and emotional cues that signal you’re experiencing anxiety. Do you feel a knot in your stomach? Or your heart racing? See these as signs of where you are in your reaction: likely level two.

Step 3 – Recall: Bring to mind previous experiences where you’ve successfully moved through uncertainty in the past. You might even write down what you did to navigate a difficult situation and use your own success to give yourself hope that you can get through this one too.

Step 4 – Intention: With hope in mind, let go of the need to serve your ego by clarifying your highest purpose. Focusing on your intention will release oxytocin and help you shift to level three.

Step 5 – Trust the process: When you’re at level three, it’s much easier to explore and develop ideas with the other person. The interaction is an emergent learning process — it will be challenging, but as long as you stay connected and don’t move back to level one or two, you can get through it together. In fact, you can become skilled at making others safe and keep inviting them back into mutually beneficial conversations.

 

To read the entire article from Harvard Business Review please click here.