Immediate Response...need to stop, think, reflect (1.6.2016)

When one receives information that is surprising or unsettling it is interesting to see how we respond.

I learnt an interesting thing about myself while down at Christchurch for MLM. I read an email from a school that stated several issues that they had with a RTD who is in my team.  My first response was an internal feeling of stomach plummeting and an "oh no" going through my head closely followed with an internal dialogue around what had I not done or not done enough of in my role as a lead teacher.  I immediately took on the role that I hadn't done enough and that I was somehow to blame or at fault. My verbal response engaged another lead teacher who challenged my response and that made me stop and think about what I had said and was it correct. Guess what? my immediate response was one that I need to monitor.  I did not need to take ownership and responsibility for the problem instead I needed to change lenses and think about what had made the school respond in the way they did and what did that mean for me in relation to talking with the regional coordinator and what then happened from that eg meetings with the RTD, and the school.  What I need to do in the future is to take a 'step back' from the situation and look at things more objectively and not own the issue.  1.6.16