Challenging times bring a different energy into our environment – certainly more febrile and tense, and possibly hot-headed. As the pressure increases so does the tension in the air.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in our language. Hyperbole infects the things we say and how we say them – often louder and terser.
By way of example, situations over which we may express disappointment in less difficult and pressured times suddenly become labelled devastating, surely a word that should be reserved for genuine tragedy.
As leaders, what we say and how can amplify the tense energy and load up the environment with fear and uncertainty or we can choose another tack. The temptation may be to compensate for the negativity with a lurch to blind optimism. What’s needed, though, is calm and considered realism.
Reflection before we speak – to calm the emotions we may be feeling, to order the thoughts we want to express, to ‘right size’ the situation/get it in proportion – is essential. This pause can be quite short yet pays significant dividends.
Our words create our reality. When we lead we shape the reality for others. If we want to create a better world for all part of that contribution is choosing and sharing our words well.