There are moments where an instinctive reaction is appropriate…like when presented with immediate and imminent danger. The amygdala jumps into action and works to keep us out of harms way. However, in virtually all other situations, we should abandon the tendency to react, work to ignore the amygdala, and think things through. The best decisions don’t come from reaction, they come from thoughtful responses. And thought with a crafted response takes time…sometimes seconds, sometimes minutes, sometimes hours or even days. Regretfully, in our step-on-the-gas, fast-paced, reactive flow of life, this pause may be perceived as quite annoying by others. But, it’s okay, they’ll get used to it. Some people are known for being reactive. Some people are known for being the calming force, the people who slow things down and think things through.
Great leaders, through practice and experience, assess and respond…they rarely react. The assessment, thought and response cycle is a constant flow. It’s a habit formed by intentionally removing reaction from the process. Call it deer in the headlights, stumped or indecisiveness. But also consider it might be exactly what we need…to make things better.