Career Lesson From an Executive Director at Rethink First
Angela, Executive Director of Clinical Services at Rethink First, emphasizes the significant value of "taking a pause" before responding, especially to challenging communication. This deliberate pause allows for self-reflection, enabling a more thoughtful and professional response, avoiding potentially regrettable impulsive reactions like "a very long, lengthy email that's not really effective."
Communication, Executive/Leadership, Stress Management, Problem-Solving, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Angela Nelson
Executive Director of Clinical Services
Rethink First
UCLA
Master's in Counseling from Cal State Northridge and Doctorate in Education from USC
Psychology
Education, Technology
Operations and Project Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Taking a pause before responding allows for more thoughtful and effective communication. This is especially important in heated discussions or when responding to challenging emails.
2. Self-reflection and calming down before responding helps to remove emotionality and enables a more strategic and collaborative response.
3. Avoid impulsive communication, especially in writing. Take time to craft a polished and professional response that avoids potential regrets later on, and potentially avoids miscommunication
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
I would say there's value in taking a pause. I think sometimes we have this misconception that in order to be seen as professional or smart, we need to have a quick answer for everything.
But that's not necessarily the case. There's a power in the pause, waiting before you speak. Make sure you really heard the person, even ask for clarification if you need to.
That also helps to show the listener that you're hearing them, which is a nice communication strategy. Waiting before you speak, giving yourself some time to reflect, especially if you're going into a heated discussion or there's a disagreement or conflict. This allows you time for self-reflection and to calm down a little bit.
I know this is a big one. If I get an email that was heated or something I didn't agree with, I used to just write, write, write. This would result in a long, lengthy email that wasn't really effective for anyone. It might have just been cathartic for me.
So if I do that, sometimes I'll erase it and walk away, go do something else. When I come back, I'm usually more refreshed and can think more clearly and strategically about how to respond in a collaborative and professional way.
I know I won't be able to take it back later because it's in writing, so I want to take the emotionality out of it. I think that's something I learned. Everyone learns some things the hard way. I probably sent a couple emails that were maybe a little snarky earlier in my career because I was upset.
Over time, I've learned to just take a pause. It's okay. Get everything in order and then send a more polished email.