The totally responsible individual: Dealing
with chaos
Jim Dawson
Posted 12-19-05
A chaotic or traumatic event can happen to anyone at any time
or place. Would you be ready if it happened to you?
Anything that threatens your sense of safety and security
either physically or mentally can be considered a traumatic
event. How well you respond to and recover from such events
primarily depends on your overall state of well-being. Let's
look at ways to develop the Internal Resources and External
Resources you need to put yourself in the best possible position
to deal with chaotic events.
Strategies for responding
Your response to a threatening situation depends on a number
of factors including your past experiences, training, self-confidence,
physical fitness and emotional resilience.
More importantly, your initial assessment of the situation
determines your ultimate reaction and adjustment to it. If
you are tired or chronically stressed, if you don't eat properly
or get enough exercise, you can't think as clearly or act
as effectively as the situation may require.
In addition to taking responsibility for your well-being,
two strategies you can use to help you deal with chaotic events
are:
- Being aware of your External Resources
- Developing your Internal Resources
External Resources are the things your environment offers
to support your safety. They may be a tree to climb, rocks
to throw, a cave to crawl into, a desk to hide under, a door
to escape through, or a telephone to call for help.
Internal Resources are your instincts, past experiences,
self-confidence, psychological attitudes, knowledge base,
and ability to express your thoughts and feelings. Instincts
govern our basic biological responses and trigger the fight,
flight or freeze response. Your nervous system activates your
instinctual responses before you have a chance to think, such
as when you duck a fraction of a second before you walk into
a low-hanging branch.
Increasing your knowledge about what should be done in specific
situations will help you know which External Resources to
use. Also, when your instincts take over, you will have more
Internal Resources to draw on to resolve the situation.
Taking a first-aid class is a good first step. You also can
participate in a crisis management workshop and review government
Web sites that offer information on what to do in specific
emergency situations.
Making decisions
Understanding the steps for making decisions in chaotic situations
will increase your chances for developing a successful solution.
- The primary and most crucial step is to clearly assess
and identify the problem. This includes determining the
level of danger to you and others and how long it will take
to give or receive help.
- When you know what you are up against, begin to create
solutions by evaluating your Internal and External Resources
and the range of alternatives available to you.
- Finally, consider the actions you can take that have the
highest probability of working, as well as the risks, costs
or consequences of each option.
When you have decided what to do, take the appropriate action
and follow through until the situation has been resolved or
sufficient help has arrived.
Minimizing the impact
Before takeoff, flight attendants instruct you to notice where
the exits are located. That's excellent advice, especially
in today's world when terrorism offers little to no warning.
Pay attention to exit signs at work, in restaurants and theaters.
Notice heavy objects that could move, fall or break in an
explosion.
At work and at home, keep flashlights and radios, fresh batteries,
fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, and bottled water in a
convenient location. Know the emergency evacuation route for
your area. Create a plan with your family about where to meet
and what they should do if evacuation becomes necessary.
You can minimize or stop chaotic situations before they occur
by making note of people and vehicles that seem out of place
and calling the authorities whenever you are concerned about
your safety or the safety of others. Also, don't allow unauthorized
people to enter a secure building where you may work or live.
Be firm but polite as they may have a legitimate reason for
being there. You can offer to call someone who can assist
them once you are inside the building.
Dealing with conflict
Conflict occurs when individuals come together with preconceived
ideas about how things should be resolved rather than a sincere
desire to work together to find a solution acceptable to both
parties.
To control the situation and diffuse tension, remember that
people who are upset need to feel that they are being heard.
Maintain eye contact and say their name calmly. Use empathetic
statements such as, "I understand how you can feel that
way…" and sympathetic agreement, "I would
be upset too if that happened to me," and paraphrase
what they said. If you think you can help, only offer the
assistance you can provide by saying, "What I can do
is..."
If you are in physical danger, don't be afraid to be assertive
or to call the police if you can. At work, agree on a code
word or phrase such as "Please bring me the red folder,"
to alert co-workers should they need to call the police for
you.
Taking responsibility
While it isn't healthy to live in a state of paranoia, it
is healthy to observe your environment and to be as prepared
as possible to deal with chaotic events. If something makes
you feel uncomfortable, it is your responsibility to do something
about it.
The most powerful thing you can do is to take care of your
own well-being on a daily basis. If you need to, set boundaries
around how much time you spend at work and take vacations.
When you are rested and in good health, you will have the
confidence and clarity of mind you need to assess almost any
situation, make decisions and take appropriate action. You
also will be able to help yourself and those around you recover
with greater speed and minimal damage.
It's up to you.
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