Some people have more of a flair for the dramatic than others. As change professionals, rarely, if ever, will drama contribute to our success. Because the major changes that we are often involved with can cause emotional catharsis (our own as well as others), it is important to stayed attuned to your responses even if you are not dramatic in less emotional circumstances.
Inc. contributor Christina DesMarais (Here’s How Highly Effective People Eliminate Drama) offers the following guidelines for removing the less-than-helpful habit of drama from your toolbox.
- Put some space between a challenge and your response. Count to ten. “Pause, reflect, and breathe.” Consider whether the response that is on the tip of your tongue is fact-based or is triggered by emotion.
- Controlling your attitude is a big part of success: “If you want good results, do the difficult work of consciously thinking through what’s true and deliberately choosing a path that is helpful.”
- There’s a difference between reacting and responding: “Reacting is acting in opposition to something without deliberation, often immediately. Responses involve careful thought, are often well-presented, and demonstrate respect for the other person.” The latter is much more liable to keep a pathway to success open.
It is never possible to remove emotion from major change. It is possible to remove drama from your toolbox as a change practitioner.
About the Author: Brian Gorman
Brian Gorman is a transformation coach who supports individual and organizational change, sharing his “lessons learned” to ease others’ journeys. He is a workshop facilitator, public speaker, and author of The Hero and the Sherpa, a chapter in the Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation (Springer Publishing). Brian also creates blogs, articles, and videos about the change journey.
From 2016 to 2023, Brian served as Managing Editor of Change Management Review™, where he curated articles, contributed original writing, hosted podcasts, and collaborated with guest authors.
Over five decades, he has worked with individuals and organizations—including Fortune 100 companies—gaining deep insights into universal patterns for navigating change.
Brian holds a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Syracuse University, an MA in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas, San Antonio, and an MA in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. He is an ICF-certified coach, an active member of its NYC chapter, and belongs to the Forbes Coaches Council and the Gay Coaches Alliance.
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