Sleep On It
[by Jim Cavanaugh]
Part of being a business owner is dealing with occasional disputes that will develop with clients, suppliers and assistants. Often times the problem will pop up unexpectedly in the form of a terse e-mail, pointed letter or angry phone call. Human nature has us tend to react defensibly to the situation, especially if it’s a complaint or an accusation.
I have found, rather than reacting with the fight or flight response, that I will have a much better perspective on the situation if I have had a day to cool off and sleep on it. A conflict that may seem major when you first learn about it, may seem very minor the next day. So step back, don’t react, sleep on it. Then resolve it the next day with a fresh perspective.
