Brutal facts

When chaos emerges, emotions run high and it’s hard to keep a clear head. One way of restoring inner calm and coaxing useful thoughts and plans back out of hiding is to face the brutal facts head on.

Write them down on a piece of paper, or on a whiteboard if you’re in a team. Get the five worst, most brutal facts down in black and white, there, in all their ugly splendour.

When they are named and defined, brutal facts are delineated. They acquire borders. That means space can open up around them, allowing the possibility of a response.

Go through each brutal fact, focusing on this space. Ask, what one thing needs to happen in order to respond to the brutal fact?

This one thing might tackle it head on, or contain it and limit its impact, or even just work around it.

Feel the optimism return, and suppleness of thought, in yourself or your team.

Now you have a plan.

This is a feedback technique in my book.