Whether or not you participate in the upcoming holiday season, the end of the year impacts our entire culture. For many, it is a time of joy and fun. Yet, it also brings some added STRESS. At the mall last week I was struck by the number of people I heard say, “I’m soooo tired!” Businesses must meet the demands of increased sales, traffic, and communication as year-end deadlines loom. Everything gets kicked up a notch during the last month of the year, and that pressure can spill over into our relationships.
At FORTE, we strive to improve business and personal relationships by making communication safe. When defending ourselves, we can’t think creatively and process logically. In essence, we can’t hear and we can’t speak. Our nonverbal communication strategies—such as systematic use of eye contact, employing appropriate voice patterns, or effective handling of location—increase clarity, depersonalize conflict, and reduce tension.
Many of these techniques, however, come down to the ability to breathe.
Another sales associate just called in sick? Breathe. Your website just went down? Breathe. Your wife is upset over the number of hours you’re working? Breathe.
You’ll think better.
You’ll feel better.
You’ll communicate better.