A Minute with Mark – Triggered – The 3 to 5 Recovery

Click Here for the YouTube Video of the 3 to 5 Recovery

Here is the transcript.

Hi. I’m Mark Fackler.

I slammed my fist on the table and yelled, “I don’t ever want to hear ‘can’t’ in this company!” The room froze. I’d lost it.

A senior staff member had said, “I can’t get this done by Friday,” and that simple phrase triggered me. In an instant, I went from calm to furious.

That moment sent me on a journey to understand what it means to be triggered, the loss of focus, the ripple effect on others, the hit to productivity, and most importantly, how to deal with it.

Here’s what I’ve learned. Getting triggered is normal. It’s human. Triggers come from fear, be it fear, anger, embarrassment, frustration, even feeling disrespected. Some explode. Others withdraw. Withdrawing may not be as disruptive as exploding, but is just as damaging.

What sets great leaders apart is not whether we get triggered, but how quickly we recover.

Sometimes recovery can take just three to five seconds. Sometimes three to five minutes. Occasionally, hours, even days. But the goal never changes: get grounded as quick as you can.

Recovery is a skill we can practice, and with consistency, we can shorten it. Practice recovery. Teach recovery. Model recovery.

Be the leader others choose to follow.

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