Have you noticed how the three presidential candidates must struggle to keep their cool and stay in The Positive Zone during this primary season?

Barack Obama was criticized for snapping at a reporter who asked him a question while he was trying to eat his waffles.

If you Google "McCain Temper" you'll get pages of links. Fortunately, Senator McCain has no Republican opponent to provoke him right now!

Former aides to Hillary Clinton say she has a ferocious temper; but, so far, only Bill's angry red face has been seen on the campaign trail.

If reporters followed YOU around, would they ever catch YOU losing your cool?

I like this saying:
“The size of a person is determined by what it takes to upset them.”

What does it take to upset YOU?  

When you're in The Positive Zone, you feel, calm, confident and in control. 
Here are three ways the presidential candidates and YOU can keep your cool and Stay in The Zone  when someone gets on your very last nerve:

1. Take a deep breath

When we feel stressed or challenged, we STOP breathing and that is when we need to breathe the most!

Breathe in through your nose, keep your mouth SHUT and don't say a word for two seconds.

2. Respond-don't react.   The difference is important:
When we react, we speak first and then think about it.

When we respond, we think first, and then speak. 

Have you ever blurted something in a moment of anger and immediately regretted it? 
Unfortunately, “taking it back " is about as easy as putting toothpaste back into the tube!

The difference between reacting and responding is about two seconds, so that's how long you should wait before opening your mouth when someone has pushed one of your "hot buttons."

As I tell my audiences, "Other people don't upset us.  It is our REACTION to other people that upsets us."

3. If you're criticized, ask a question.

If your boss angrily asks, "Why did you do it THIS way?"  Don't react defensively ("Because you never told me HOW to do it!")
Instead, take a deep breath, smile, and calmly respond, "How did you want me to do it?"

The key is to be curious, not defensive.

The three presidential candidates would do well to remember the proverb:
"Anger can be an expensive luxury."

And may the candidate who can BEST stay in The Positive Zone, win!

Until next month....keep your cool and Stay in the Zone!

  Susan

P.S. Send me an email and tell me which candidate YOU like and I'll tell you who I strongly support. (I won't be able to respond May 1-5 -see schedule below)

P.P.S. I'm in the middle of a busy travel schedule:

April 23 -  Washington DC for Administrative Assistants Day keynotes to the FDIC (morning) and the National Labor Relations Board (afternoon)
April 28 - Philadelphia to keynote the Project Summit/Business Analyst World Conference

May 1-5 - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
May 8  -Jacksonville--Association of Government Call Center Employees Conference

Did you notice how I slipped a nice little vacation in there? 
Make sure you ALSO work hard and play harder!

P.P.S.  Click here and tell me about your upcoming meeting.  I'll make it the best ever!