Keep Calm and Carry On was a motivational poster produced by
the British government in 1939 in preparation for the Second World War.
(Wikipedia) It has recently been routing
as a graphic trend on social media and is showing up on T-shirts and all kinds
of products.
The Definition of Calm varies as an adjective. My favorite is: not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or
other emotions. (Google definitions)
I completed references on a candidate this week and every
single reference said consistently that the candidate was calm in all
situations. Through all of the
conversations this calm was a quality that was highly valued and admired by the
candidate’s colleagues. Whether they
were her executive leaders, cross functional partners or people who reported to
her.
It made me think about my verbal and personal communication
style. I don’t think most would describe
me as calm but it is something I am going to strive for. It is unrealistic to think we can go through
our careers without feeling anxiety, frustration or anger. But a calm manner is always well
respected. That is not often true of the
other emotions when they are visible in the workplace. Does
visible frustration, anxiety or anger add any benefit to a meeting or dialog?
There are many resources out there on how to stay calm. Travis Bradberry wrote a great article for
Forbes.com “How Successful People Stay Calm”.
How would your colleagues and family describe your
manner? What are personal adjectives
that come to mind when you think of your colleagues. Do you think calm is a valuable quality? Many people in our industry look for
“passion” in candidates. Can you be passionate
and calm at the same time? Kate and I
would love to hear what you think as I strive to master calmness. The mental
state of being free from agitation, excitement, or disturbance. It also refers
being in a state of serenity, tranquility, or peace. (Wikipedia)
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