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Reactive or Responsive: It's Up to You

In psychological terms, responding means to thoughtfully and intentionally adapt your behavior to the current circumstance. It involves the parasympathetic nervous system, which is activated when the body is calm and at rest. In contrast, reacting means to automatically go into high-alert stress mode. Your brain automatically processes the problem as a state of emergency and your sympathetic nervous system is activated, preparing your body to fight, flee, or freeze.

Highly effective leaders tend to be highly responsive leaders. They take the time to digest what is happening, step back and take stock, and exude high energy and excitement, not fear and stress. Thanks to the mirror neuron phenomenon, people ...

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