The Power of Pause: How to be More Effective in a Demanding, 24/7 World

If Serena Williams had paused before cursing out a line judge at the U.S. Open, could she have emerged as this year’s champion?  If Rep. Joe Wilson had taken a breath before disrupting the President’s address to Congress, might he have chosen to act differently?  If Professor Henry Louis Gates and Sgt. James Crowley had each taken a moment in the course of their encounter, could they have reached a more constructive conclusion and avoided controversy altogether?  And how often do we feel emotionally hijacked by events at work that spin out of control due to the pressures we’re constantly facing.

These are challenging times.  Events come at us full speed in today’s 24/7 work environment, and in our personal lives as well.  We can feel short on time, attention, temper or choices.  This kind of pressure detracts from our life, our effectiveness and our happiness.  It can cause us to say and do things we later regret.  Is there a game changing answer to being more effective in the face of this challenge?  YES!

In her new book, THE POWER OF PAUSE: How to be More Effective in a Demanding, 24/7 World (Jossey-Bass; January 2010), Nance Guilmartin—an executive advisor, educator, and organizational consultant with a background in politics, the media, public service and the corporate world—offers a novel method to:                                                                                                                                 

t Prevent snafus and exercise humility by using a new CQ tool “Reverse Rephrasing”

t Check what filters might block effective listening – by you and by others 

t Use a Curiosity Checklist to find out, What don’t I know I don’t know?     

t Recognize the cues that you need to take a high-speed pause before making a

decision – at work or in your personal life

As the author explains, “The Power of Pause® method is based on a paradox.  To have more control over your choices and your time, you must pause—for seconds, minutes, an hour, a day, or even as briefly as a single deep breath.  It consists of a three-step Effectiveness Equation that the author originated when people kept asking, What is a pause and how is it powerful?

“Think of it as a global positioning system to help you make better choices,” Nance says.  “It gives you a set of coordinates to pause (get your mental bearings), to adopt a Get Curious Not Furious™ mindset (get your emotional bearings), and to access humility (to go beyond what you think you know to generate a more informed response).”  These ideas are developed throughout the book and are supplemented with 12 Power of Pause Practices to ensure that each pause is a productive one. 

THE POWER OF PAUSE is also illustrated with novel case studies and lively real-world stories from finance, law, health care, technology, government, e-commerce, academia, hospitality, sales, marketing, diplomacy, sports and executive coaching.  These examples demonstrate better ways to respond to high pressure situations in your professional and personal life. 

When you practice THE POWER OF PAUSE you will become more successful.  You manage competition.  You handle deadlines.  Cultural differences don’t trip you up.  You help others do their best no matter what comes at you (or them) at the speed of life.