Set the Pace

When we think about escalating a situation we often think of assertive or aggressive behavior (yelling at someone who took the parking space you thought was yours, yelling at your kids to go to bed, taking down a non-compliant perpetrator, waging a pre-emptive strike on a hostile nation that is not playing well with others, etc). However, I wanted to open this concept up a little to change our perspective on how we view the idea of escalation. Escalating a situation can also be thought of as energizing it. We can also be filling an (emotional) space with enthusiasm or adding energy to a situation.

During an interaction, people typically play off from one another. If you Take the Lead and Set the Pace you can often influence how that interaction goes. As "Man Search For Meaning" Author Viktor Frankl said, "You cannot always determine what happens to you. You do however always have the ability to choose how you respond to it."

Many people have difficulty controlling situations because they don't see how they are always in control, not necessarily of the other person, but of THEMSELVES. How YOU respond to things is the real question. The clearer you are on the bigger picture, your boundaries and your plan if things don't go your way, the more effective you can be during a situation. Don't let your emotions and ego control your decisions and behavior. Everyone has emotions and ego, that's natural, but don't let them blind you and put you at a disadvantage. 

Set the pace! Add the good stuff, manage the bad stuff, focus on the big picture & have a plan if it doesn't go your way.

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Keep going,

~Craig