As expected, the Commander-in-Chief handled the situation with typical grace and aplomb. In fact, he turned a potentially ugly situation into a standing ovation. With a sincere smile and a quick but kind response, he was back in the game. Let’s face it, even if you didn’t vote for the man, you can learn something from him. But because he is a busy guy and probably not available to share his favorite one-liners when it comes to a biting back a bully, I’m giving you a few of my favorite tips on smoothing out a sticky situation.
Stay calm. Stay calm. Stay calm.
Take a deep breath. Or take ten deep breaths. Bottom line, stay calm and collected. There is scientific proof that breathing deep calms the nerves. Plus, when you are busy doing your yoga breathing, you have very little chance of sticking your foot in your mouth. I’ve tried.
Make ‘Em Laugh.
Humor, if delivered well, can really save the day. The key is to not humiliate or disparage your opponent. Something like “Looks like we need to switch to decaf” is a much better retort than “Did you get hit with the stupid stick?”. I know, I know, you so want to use the stupid stick joke, but don’t. Trust me on this.
Ready. Aim. Put Out the Fire.
Be prepared with light, positive responses such as, “I hear what you’re saying, and if you allow me to finish then we can discuss this further” is a good bet. Respect and acknowledgement usually takes the sting out of a negative situation, putting you back in the driver’s seat. As for Dr. Heckle and Mr. Snide? They can take the bus.
