12 things to say when times are tough

A great leader needs to have a few phrases up their sleeve when times are tough.

There is nothing worse than having to front up to work each day when there has been a critical incident or significant change in your area and instead of Yoda or Steve Jobs you sound like Jim Carrey.

Here are a few phrases that won’t work in every occasion but are gold when the right one comes along.

  1. This is a season in our business, and it will pass.
  2. Let’s all take a breath and we can break this down one step at a time.
  3. We have faced changes before and we came out stronger (you can story tell here when you say what you remember and what was learnt and what was better as a results).
  4. It’s ok to feel the pressure and let’s keep moving forward.
  5. What you are doing is making progress in this way….
  6. It’s normal and easy to get carried away with emotions, let’s take a break and come back to it when we are calmer.
  7. It’s hard, let’s get through it together.
  8. How can I help?
  9. Have you experienced something like this before?
  10. What is the most important thing to do right now?
  11. This is a chapter in our year book and we have…
  12. I wish we could fast forward this part to get to the good bits. I suppose we have to take it day by day.

Some of these statements are called cognitive reframing– it takes an overwhelming situation and with the statement it narrows it to an event that is specific and time bound.

Showing the team that this is tough, but it is part of a larger story.

They get to compare it to other hard times that they have gotten through and even learnt from.

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” Helen Keller

Which one have you used before and what happened?

Or do you have another favourite?

Warmly,

Michelle

P.S. Use it with your kids as well.


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