In Difficult Situations, Stop and Wait

As a leader, when meetings or projects get stuck, what strategies do you have to handle it?

When a project or meeting gets difficult, it can be tempting to use your positional authority to push things through to try to get it over with. But it's better to do the same as you might do for a slow-moving computer: shut it off and wait a minute. Give yourself the opportunity to regain your composure and collect your thoughts. In a meeting that's going nowhere? Take a break. Not making headway on a document you need to write? Take a walk. During the break, don't think of new strategies or ideas. By taking yourself out of the situation, you allow your brain to rest so that when you return—with a fresh perspective and a calm mind—you are more likely to find a new solution.


Adapted from "Restore Yourself to Your Factory Default Settings" by Peter Bregman.