How to overcome defense mechanisms

by B. Dan Berger, Berger Leadership Blog

Defense mechanisms, or rather, our own personal, subconscious reactions to out-of-the ordinary situations, come with the territory of being human. As leaders, it’s our duty to not only recognize these defense mechanisms as reactions, but we also need to think about how we can improve them.

In a recent Lolly Daskal article, she reiterates that every individual develops their own defense mechanisms to certain situations, and there are ways to transform these responses into helpful tools, rather than obstacles.

Daskal shares her top ideas for overcoming one’s own defense mechanisms, including:

  • make room for acceptance by giving yourself a momentary break before responding to a situation rashly;
  • hold yourself accountable and remind yourself that you can’t control anyone’s actions or responses but your own;

 

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