The Thought For The Day: First Responder
Thursday May 20, 2010
Inspiration: “When you respond to life, that’s positive; when you react to life, that’s negative.” Zig Ziglar
Be: (positive Confession) I am a First Responder.
Do: (first steps) Today, don’t react to negative situations, respond to them. Reactions tend to be reflexive actions that are often based on things that have nothing to do with the circumstances at hand; and are offered as a mechanism to protect ourselves rather than serve the concerns of others. Your wife tells you she wants some work done around the house but you hear “get off your butt you lazy bum” because that’s what you heard growing up. A client tells you that your product is “a lot of money” and you immediately think they are saying “I can’t afford it” when they are really just expressing they need to be creative to make it work into their budget. Merely reacting to your perception in these cases might lead to an unnecessary argument or lost business. Responsiveness, though, calls for a higher level of listening and the ability to take your personal feelings out of the equation much like that done by real life first responders who enter into emergent predicaments yet have learned not to panic and rely on objective measures to make life saving decisions. The next time you find yourself in a position that might evoke a negative reaction step back, replay the other party’s statement listening for the need they are expressing (not the attack on you personally or your service/business), then interject another perspective on their concern before providing a solution to the problem.
Have: (making dreams reality) As I become more attuned to the cares and needs of others I will find that the responses I give will disarm insecurities of their power, position myself to be of helpful service, and provide a better outcome for every party involved.
Be, Do, and Have the Best Day of Your Life! God Bless You!
really informative advice.today I know responding is something different than reaction.