5 Alarm
Everything’s on fire. At least, that’s how it feels.
Slack is buzzing. Deadlines are shifting. Expectations are high and patience is low.
In moments like this, there’s one thing every team needs:
Someone calm.
Why Calm Matters
Calm doesn’t mean passive. It means grounded.
The calm person:
- Doesn’t escalate emotion just because others do
- Slows the pace to clarify the path
- Brings focus when others feel scattered
That presence creates stability—and stability builds trust.
Urgency Is Not Always Importance
When everything feels urgent, nothing gets prioritized.
Calm leaders help teams:
- Separate signal from noise
- Reduce reactive cycles
- Make better decisions, faster
Urgency is emotional. Calm is strategic.
How to Build a Calm Leadership Presence
1. Breathe Before You React
Pause before responding. That few seconds of space changes tone, language, and presence.
2. Narrate the Moment
Call out what’s happening without blame:
“There’s a lot moving right now. Let’s pause and define what actually needs to happen today.”
3. Ask Centering Questions
Try:
- “What’s the actual impact if this slips?”
- “Who really needs to be involved?”
- “What are we solving for?”
These questions reset focus and cut urgency with clarity.
4. Protect the Room
Don’t just stay calm—extend it. Set norms that protect the team from spinning out:
“We don’t solve problems by panicking. Let’s walk through it together.”
A Leadership Lesson
In Special Forces, we trained to stay calm in chaos. Not because the situation wasn’t serious—but because panic kills decision-making.
That lesson applies everywhere I’ve led since.
The calmest person in the room often becomes the leader—whether or not they have the title.
Be the rock
When urgency spikes, people look for someone steady.
Be the one who doesn’t rush to react. Be the one who names what matters. Be the one who stays clear.
In a culture that rewards speed, calm is a competitive advantage.
If you lead this way—or want to—I’d be glad to connect.
