I wanted to share a quick excerpt from an email I recently wrote to my clients regarding how to respond to the impact of both COVID-19 and the economic downturn.
Right now a lot of people are experiencing a lot of stress. For some, it is from having a family member in quarantine. For others, it is from running a restaurant and watching demand decline. For someone else, it comes from spending the past 8-months on a large sales deal that is now being put on hold due to a spending freeze. And whether or not you are directly experiencing stress, in the coming months we will all be working and interacting with a lot of people who are.
Something I am encouraging my clients to do is to regularly check in on the “Level 2” of the room they are in. What does that mean? The level 2 is the emotions that are in the atmosphere/environment and that bleed into our emotional state.
Are you finding yourself agitated for no reason? Did you just get into an argument with a colleague and have no idea why?
When there is stress in the level 2 it permeates into our lives and actions. Furthermore, if you do have a challenging moment with a colleague or stranger, I encourage you to be curious rather than defensive and to remember that a lot of people have a lot going on right now and their reaction might be stress-related rather than related to you.
Recognizing what is in the “Level 2” during a meeting, in an office after a big announcement, or in your home after an argument, is an important leadership skill to practice.
Right now, as stress and unknowns affect so many people, it is more important than ever to be aware of the Level 2 and to practice regularly checking in on it.