This episode can stand on its own and also be used as a study guide for Refresher Lesson Plan 2018: Cultivating Inspiration. It is dedicated to Jeppe de Lange.

The word “Inspiration” has its roots in the Latin word inspiratus – meaning to Breathe into – to inspire.

What can we do to help us breathe into a crisis?

• Exhale, (which we teach in Response) helps us breathe into a crisis. The Exhale creates a pause in action and can redirect our thoughts from one of panic to clarity and reason.
• The Pause and Exhale is done while asking “Am I safe?” This action encourages the intervener to take in the scene at hand and to also role model a calm, compassionate, and professional demeanor.
• The use of an Exhale can help motivate, encourage, and influence others – it is a form of Intentional Role Modeling.

What is Intentional Role Modeling” Consciously acting in a manner that displays a specific behavior or action.

• Intention can be both benevolent and malicious, today we are working on benevolent Intentional Role Modeling. Benevolent acts can inspire us and others, making Intentional Role Modeling also Inspirational Role Modeling.
• Intentional Role Modeling with benevolence as the lead role modeled”.

Inspiration is feeling engaged, uplifted, and motivated by someone or something you witnessed.

Positive Emotions help us build upon our engagement in daily life. At a baseline level, they motivate us to get up each morning and participate in life. Inspiration at its highest level, can be transformational.

The “Broaden and Build Theory” was developed by Barbara Fredrickson’s in the late 1990’s and is commonly referred to in Positive Psychology.

• Positive Psychology is “the scientific study of what makes life most worth living.For more info on the Response Crisis Intervention Curriculum go to http://www.responsetrainings.com

Haven’t downloaded this episode yet? Here it is again.

The post 069: Cultivating Inspiration appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

For the most part we navigate though the unknown door of uncertainty without much fretting, because we humans are the masters of problem solving. Yes, we are! Go ahead give yourself a pat on the back! For goodness sakes, you found this podcast on leading chaos – and I know for certain that isn’t easy.

Life though has an uncanny way of throwing us off course. Natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and accidents, be it household, car or slipping on icy steps and throwing out our back, can throw us in a tail spin and rain uncertainty down upon us like a hailstorm in July.

In this episode, we revisit the Response Protocol and how it helps us manage moments of uncertainty.

And, we learn a little bit about what is going on in our brain that makes us lean towards the irrational.

To top it off we look at the difference between asking

“What can I do?”

vs

“What if?”

The more we understand what happens when we are faced with uncertainty, the more likely we will be successful in “getting to certain”.

And for those who work in the therapeutic milieu consider brainstorm with your team on what your site offers in terms of “Certainty” for a client in need vs “Uncertainty”

– Role play conversations with a person in crisis that brings them from uncertainty to certainty.

Not sure how to do this? Contact info@responsetrainings.com and set up a consult or training today and begin practicing “Getting to Certain” before Uncertainty creeps in the back door and begins the cycle of chaos.

Ria Windcaller is the Rounder and CEO of Response Training Programs LLC. She is the author of Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management.

The Response Protocol is not only useful for “getting to certain” it provides an emotional first aid model for First Responders, educators, and anyone wishing to be prepared to lead chaos rather than have it lead you.

Haven’t downloaded this episode yet? Here it is again.

Be safe!

The post 068: Getting to Certain in Uncertain Times appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

DJ’s know it is all about The Perfect Transitions.

What do I mean by a transition?

Transitions are what you do in between two moments in time.

Here is a basic list to give you the gist of what I mean

• sleeping to waking
• going to work
• coming home from work
• changing tasks
• engaging in conversation
• welcoming a person into your home
• discussing a difficult conversation
• moving on from a difficult conversation

Everything that we do during every waking hour involves a transition, whether you are aware or it or not.

Sure you can ignore the transition, but to do so you give away the opportunity to provide direction for how you would like the day to proceed.

Are you willing to do that? I’m thinking not. Surely if you have gotten this far, you are someone who wants to live life well and have a positive effect on your life.

We discuss two types of transitions in this episode:

1. Base Transitions: what we do on a daily basis that propels us forward.

• Getting up and out of the house in the morning
• Getting to work on time

2. Conversational Transitions: how we begin or end a conversation

• picking the right time to have a chat
• knowing when to take a step back and pause when tempers are flaring

3. Trip Transitions: “Arrrgh, why did I wait the night before to pack for my                 week long vacation!”

We go through all three types of transitions in this episode and look at how Awareness and Preparation can go a long way towards making our transitions in life go smoothly.

Follow this podcast on Twitter @leadingchaospodcast

The post 067: Perfect Transitions appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

I’m not sure if Uncle Frank meant to use this saying the way I am in this podcast. I suspect he was just kidding around and doing a little ditty with us kids at the time. But that just goes to show you how something can stick in your mind for so long and then – Poof- it all comes together.

In this episode we chat on the “Use of Force Policy” and how the authorization to use “restraint” as a means of force is, well, kind of like taking somebody’s else’s Red Canoe.

We delve into the words Escort vs Restraint and how these two words have very different  effects on one’s mental and physical state.

Your homework for this episode is to ask yourself and your team ( if that applies to you as a First Responder or PERT Team Member)

 “Would you rather be escorted or restrained, during a crisis?”

This sounds like a worthy chat that every crisis intervener should have.

Please let me know what you find out or your thoughts on this topic. Send me an email to ria@leadingchaospodcast.com

Listen now to this episode.

What does PERT stand for?

Psychiatric Emergency Response Team

The post 066- Red Canoe appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Yes, Start spreading the news, before there’s chaos, get in step with your sense of purpose and professionalism. Be a part of it like ~ New York, New York!

Before we go there with Frank Sinatra singing loudly in our ears. Yea! Let me recap a bit on the last episode titled “Can’t Get My Goat”.

In short, beside being ambushed by a friend or family member who says something that really throws me off my kilter, I discuss two more things that “Get My Goat”.

1. Lack of Sleep
2. Dehydration

Sound familiar? Managing these two “Goat Getters” is doable by planning ahead and asking for a bit more support.

Missed. Can’t get my Goat Episode 64?  click here to find show notes and listen.

And I do make mention of the Ep 62: Zen of Poppins that I believe you will also find quite useful too. click here for that episode.

Got a Goat Getter? Please send them to me ria@leadingchaospodcast.com

Now then – Imagine for a moment if you can Frank Sinatra’s singing…New York New York.

Yeah! who doesn’t feel a bounce in their step. Songs do that to us and when the song isn’t there we can do it for ourself.

This is all part of realizing our impact on others and how it also impacts ourself. Thus the quote:

To injure an opponent is to injure yourself.To control aggression without inflicting injury is The Art of Peace.

~ Morihei Ueshiba, Founder of Aikido

How do we manage the idea of what we do to others impacts ourself?

I begin with these thoughts and practices:

1. Knowing what gets your goat? Listen to Ep 64
2. Have a desire to project and practice:

– Openness

– Curiosity

Which in turns help me embody a sense of “being present” without being overbearing.

I like singing that song along with Frank Sinatra, that helps me get in the groove and take on the day with awareness and preparation. “Start spreading the News…I want to be a part of it – New York, New York!”

This helps me prepare myself before I enter either NYC or a maximum security center or any work site for that matter.

This helps us:

•  enjoy our life and work,
• not be consumed by fear
• and yet have constant awareness.

That is the New York State of Mind.

Start spreading the news…..

If you can make it there
You’ll make it anywhere
It’s up to you
New York, New York

A great reminder that we can take charge of ourself and take the lead and lead chaos rather than it leading us.

Read more: Frank Sinatra – New York, New York Lyrics | MetroLyrics

The post 065: New York State of Mind appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Go ahead and try to make me get unnerved.

In this episode we begin with an Aikido saying from O’Sensei “True Victory is Self Victory” and explore other musings, like exactly what it is that makes us lose ourself when triggered… or give away our Goat. Baaahaaaa

We are back on track with the chapter Cause No Harm from my book, Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management.

Understanding our own trigger points is a key to maintaining personal and scene safety.

I chat about the story of Bully Hill Vineyard in New York state and how Walter Taylor gave it to the Coca Cola company that bought his family wine label Taylor wines.

Here is the label with this saying, which I messed up a bit on the podcast, but you get the point.

They took my name and heritage, but they didn’t get my goat!

You have a bit of homework thinking about what gets your goat – but it will be time well spent. Certainly, the next time someone tries to get your goat your will be prepared!

http://leadingchaospodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/064-Cant-get-my-goat.mp3

The post 064 – Can’t get my goat appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Do they?

Most importantly with birthdays you know what you are celebrating. It the day you were born. Clear, cut and clean.

Anniversaries can mark both events that you relish and some events that you would rather forget, but because it was so significant the event gets immortalized with an anniversary every year.

Yes, Anniversaries have that uncanny way of making your look back, often waaay back…reflecting over years gone by.

I don’t want to be a year-gone by gal, sitting and reflecting upon what could have been or what was. Any yogi worth their weight in gold would say, “Live in the moment”.

I’d be the first to agree that having a “past” is a good thing. Sheesh. If you have been around long enough to even muse upon birthdays and anniversaries, you are one lucky duck. Even if that past has seen it fair share of ebbs versus flows.

The one thing in common with anniversaries and birthdays is you can’t out run them. You might be a hare, but the anniversary is the tortoise and it will always win. So best to suck it up and face the anniversary straight on.

So here goes, my version of sucking it up.

This year 2016, marks the 30th-year anniversary of Response Training Program LLC, a crisis intervention curriculum I started back when I was definitely under 30. Like way, way under 30.

Back then I suffered “fraud syndrome”, touting my curriculum to institutions that had celebrated their 100th plus anniversary. I was presenting to psychiatric hospitals, psychiatrist, CEOs many years my senior, and mental health workers who had already celebrated their “30-year anniversary”.

I vividly remember driving home after sealing the deal to integrate and teach the Response Curriculum for a very large statewide health department. I was a solopreneur before it became fashionable. At my very, very young age of…well let’s just say it is younger than the late comedian Jack Benny who was notorious for calling himself “39” , I became charged with providing crisis training for 6-treatment centers and hospitals . I had no budget, no employees, and barely a sense of how I was going to get it all done.

Only a year early, I was a Youth Service Officer working at of the best jobs for Adventure Based Outdoor Instructors in the country teaching adjudicated adolescents experiential education. The next thing you know it I am in charge of 6- very large institutions.

Over the past 30-years, Response has taken me on and to nearly every road and airport in north America and parts of Europe. The curriculum that I designed by getting a visitor pass to the Yale Medical Library so many years ago can unequivocally claim success on many levels. But the one that I am most grateful for in achieving is reducing the use of seclusion and restraint and creating a culture where hands-on is an anomaly.

When I turned 30-years old I had asked my mom (who is now gleefully rolling into her 96th year on earth) how she felt about her 30th birthday she said, “Oh, Ria it was the worst.”

Aghast I asked, “Why?”

She said, “Everyone wanted to make a big fuss of it. I just wanted to glide into my 30’s. I stood out because, back then most women my age were already married and had had their children. And you my dear daughter were still a very distant twinkle in my eye.”

When I reflect over her words the first thing I think of is, the idea that:

What we see in front of us, is already our past

and

What is coming up behind us, is our future.

At the same time, I know I can walk away from my past and walk into my future.

But the thought of my future coming up behind me, somehow makes those 30-years feel like only the beginning of a great adventure.

And maybe, just maybe it is about time I realize that taking time to note an anniversary is leading chaos.

Happy Anniversary Response Training Programs

The post 063 – Anniversaries Suck appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

There is no doubt about it we all admire Mary Poppins

So what if at you first thought, “Who is that crazy broad with that umbrella in hand?” We all adore Mary – cuz When Mary holds your hand you feel so grand!

This episode is taking time to do one of my favorite stress relaxation exercises and sharing it with you.

So let’s dedicate this episode to Mary for confirming that we are practically perfect in every way and take that thought forward in to 2016!

My book Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management is available on amazon.

The post 062: Zen of Poppins appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Well that moment happened to me one snowy night while watching the 1966 animated cartoon by based upon Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

Sure, perhaps like you, I had watched that half hour show before, throughout my childhood, but that just goes to show you that sometimes the most obvious doesn’t reveal itself until we are ready.

So it was for the Grinch, as it was for me in this episode of the Leading Chaos Podcast

I wrote the first draft of the Response Crisis Intervention Curriculum in 1986.

Undoubtedly my practice of Aikido had informed me on how to step off the line of attack and seek a win/win outcome in even the most extreme situations.

But describing a goal of nonviolence as taught in Response has always been a hard sell. I can only guess that it must be the human condition to make things more complex than needed, like using control over kindness.

Then one snowy winter night, as I sat watching the How the Grinch Stole Christmas, narrated by Boris Karloff, I had what I would consider an epiphany at the exact same time as the Grinch!

There in a whimsical story was everything I was trying to teach: possibilites a.k.a. the belief that a person can change…even a person as deep and dark as the Grinch.

Do you remember that moment? Well allow me to give you a brief overview of the story.

High up on a snowy Mount Crumpit within a cave, lived a green Grinch and his loyal dog Max. Poor Max would do anything for the Grinch, but was unloved by the Grinch. I always felt quite bad for that beagle looking dog with deep eyes that you would think would make even a Grinch smile. But no.

Below Mount Crumpit, was Whoville, where the Seusical Whos of Whoville lived. They were getting ready for Christmas and the grumpy Grinch could not bear the merrymaking and noise.

So he made plans to stop and ruin Whoville’s Christmas by stealing their presents, their Christmas trees, even their food for the Christmas day feast.

He did all this by donning a Santa suit and tying a single antler to his dog Max’s head. Because it is a cartoon of course he had a sleigh and he and Max rode it into Whoville on Christmas Eve

He immediately set to task to steal everything in town and was interrupted once during the bugurlary by Cindy Lou. Of course, she was the cutest Who you could imagine.

He made up a lie about taking her family’s tree to get repaired and set her off to bed.

As he and Max make their escape back to the top of Mount Crumpit, and prepares to dump all of the presents over the mountain, just as dawn is breaking and while he is expecting to hear wails and crys of anguish, instead he hears the Whos of Whoville singing the magical song

Fahoo Fores Dahoo Dores
Welcome Christmas Come this way

Fah who for-aze! Fah who for-aze!

Dah who dor-aze! Dah who dor-aze! 

Welcome Christmas, Welcome Christmas,
Come this way! Come this way!

And that is the moment that changed it all for the Grinch AND it opened an opportunity for me too as I watched.

The Grinch realized that:

“maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more” than just presents and feasting.

Viola, that is exactly what I strive to do in my work as a Crisis Intervener: believe in the higher self in even the meanest of grinches.

Interestingly, no one knows why the Grinch was so angry at Christmas, as the story reads – perhaps, his shoes were too tight.

Ha! Who hasn’t felt the woes of tight shoes!

But wait, there is more to the wisdom of Seuss’ tale though I don’t expect that Dr. Seuss was attributing Grinch symptoms with those of the mentally ill, but the line:

“it could be that his head wasn’t screwed on just right” speaks volumes to me as a crisis intervener.

Yes, we all have a bit of Grinch within our hearts every now and then, but indeed there is more to each and everyone of us than madness and hate.

Listen along and please do share this podcast, to help all the Grinches in the world find a way to make their heart opened up to the magic of kindness and community.

The post 061-Good Tidings Mr Grinch appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Walk with me, Please

Thank you George Lucas for helping me define a skill that is so helpful when chaos is looming.

How do we use the Yoda Effect it?

Provide an action:

Walk with me, Please

Turn away

Look this way

Step back

• Be direct
• Offer a task that the person can be successful at completing
• Make sure to not abuse your authority

Would you like to read more about my work in crisis intervention?

Read Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management

The post 60-PT37-Yoda Effect appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Where madmen carried guns, the people of Paris carry flowers.

I find strength in candles.

Where bullets pierced innocents, the people of Paris light candles.

The news story shows  a young boy of perhaps 4 years of age, with his father kneeling beside him. They were being interviewed by a reporter for French television show Le Petit Journal . I could tell they were next to a tribute to the 129 people killed at various venues around the city of Paris on Friday 13 November 2015.

The reporter held the microphone to the pair and asked if the boy understood what had happened.

He said yes, there are bad guys who are not very nice. And continued with “We have to move and change houses.”

The father spoke up, “Oh don’t worry , We are not moving. France is our home.”

“But there are bad guys Daddy.”

The father says, “Yes, but there are bad guys everywhere.”

“But they are mean men and they have guns and will hurt us”

It’s okay, They might have guns but we have flowers,” the father replies

The boy replies, “But flowers don’t do anything, they’re for they’re for..,”

“Of course they do,” the father replies. “Look, everyone is putting flowers. It’s to fight against the guns”

“It’s to protect?”

“Exactly.”

“And there are candles too?”

“It is to remember the people who are gone yesterday.”

The boy looks back at the memorial of flowers and candles and says, “The flowers and candles are here to protect us.”

There is an obvious exchange of smiles between the father and son. The reporter then asks, “Do you feel better now?”

“Yes, I feel better.” Replies the boy.

Watch: YouTube Video of father and son via Le Petit Journal

The post 059: Leading Chaos Pause: I find Strength in flowers appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Call me when your down and lonely…call me when the world is crazy…

And I will answer true to YOU!

Phones are our connection to the world. When the world is crushing down, knowing how to successfully reply when a person in crisis says, “Call Me” is key.

In this episode, let’s review how to help a person in crisis when they are not in the same room as us.

1. Direct the person towards present time
2. Ask simple questions to help assess the need and help the person regroup.
3. Use breathing exercises.

“Simple questions that a caller can answer can answer provide attainable goals that are like stepping-stones across a stream. If the stones are too far apart, the caller may not attempt to cross. Pg 124 excerpt from Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management.

I will be reading from my book Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management and detailing the chapter titled Don’t Forget to Breathe.

Listen to this episode now and please consider subscribing via iTunes to get the podcast delivered directly to your phone.

Also available on Stitcher and Leading Chaos on SoundCloud.

The post 058 – PT36 Call Me appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Magicians are masters of card tricks, but can they manage chaos safely?

Leading chaos is guiding a person or group of people away from hysteria and onto a focused and centered self. It might appear like magic when the hysterics stop, but it doesn’t require mystical potions or fancy wands.

And yet, even if we aren’t in a state of hysteria we can be drawn in to the chaos.

When that happens, it is time to drop down into our focal point, our center and that begins with a simple breath: in and out.

In this episode I will detail what I mean by commanding another to Exhale or simply – the power of suggestion. How it can work and how you can utilize this simple technique yourself without any hocus pocus is all part of this chit chat.

So abracadabra download the podcast now.

And, Read along with me via my book, Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management.

The post 057-PT35- Hocus Pocus appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Every dragon is just a big old reptile looking for love.
Albeit likely in all the wrong places, but love nonetheless.

What is that practical knowledge?

• The ability to use breath as an indicator that the dragon is back in town!

Ha, Okay I am having a bit of fun with this phrase huffing n puffing, but it has its place. And it happens to be a very BIG place for you and I and anyone who is managing conflict.

Breathe is one of the most valuable yet overlooked indicators on the block,

It tells you everything about the person.

Are they..

• Happy?
• Sad
• Flight, Fight or Freeze mode?

The key is to train yourself to view breathe as an indicator and not overlook its relevance to the scene at hand.

So let’s start digging into the huffing n puffing and see if we can add a few simple reminders to hone our skills in viewing breath as one of the most important indicators for interveners to use.

The post 056-PT34- Huffing n Puffing appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Before we begin lets look at their similarities between Public Speaking and Crisis Intervention.

1. Both are public events and put you the speaker on center stage.
2. Both require clear thoughts.
3. The audience whether it is a large audience or angry person are not only listening to what you are saying, but also watching you very, very…did I say very yet…closely.
4. Articulation is a requirement
5. You are responsible for setting the timing of the event.
6. Your confidence helps the audience be confident in you.
7. Your success is dependent upon your ability to control your breath

Whoa doggies! let’s stop at #6 and go to this one single skill – breath.

Yes, your breath is the ticket to successfully mastering both Public Speaking and Crisis Intervention.

In this episode I will describe a simple exercise that you can do – best done with others- that will help you begin to master both your breath, public speaking and crisis intervention. Win-Win- and WIN again.

FYI, we are reading out of my book Leading Chaos: An Essential Guide to Conflict Management. Look to page # 112 in the Chapter titled: Don’t Forget to Breathe

Please download this episode and begin Mastering Public Speaking today!

Keep in touch by sending an email to me ria@leadingchaospodcast.com

The post 055-PT33-Mastering Public Speaking appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Good for pirates, but for the rest of us…

No need to conquer here, all we have to do is harness our respiratory system so that it work to our benefit when managing a crisis.

We get to choose how we breathe

But how do we harness a respiratory system that is both voluntary and involuntary? Do we Heave Ho and push through? or Do we practice mindful breathing as Gary Hendricks discuss in his book Conscious Breathing (1995)?

His is the quote I read from his book:

“Human consciousness is powerful enough that we can notice when we are in a stressed breathing pattern and do something about it. We can consciously take deeper slower breaths, and we can consciously, shift our breathing from chest to belly.” 

As much as I tend to Heave Ho, I know that mindfulness is the ticket to clarity and reason when chaos abounds.

Read along with me beginning at page 110 of my book Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management as I begin with you my chapter titled “Don’t Forget to Breathe” and soon we will say adios to the Heave Ho and Hello to directed breathing that helps us and other in crisis.

The post PT32- Heave Ho appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Listen as we hear the gut wrenching story of New York City businessman David Shriner Cahn as he describes the morning of September 11, 2001 and his accounts of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and his search for his daughter on the streets of New York.

President of TEND Strategic Partners and host of the podcast “Smashing the Plateau” featuring leaders helping leaders break through barriers.

David Shriner Cahn Contact info

Business: TEND Strategic Partners

Smashing the Plateau Podcast: smashingtheplateau.com

• On iTunes: smashingtheplateau.com/itunes
• On Stitcher: stitcher.com/podcast/smashing-the-plateau

Twitter: @tendsp

David mentioned the following organization”

Friends of Firefighters provides independent, confidential, and free counseling and wellness services to active and retired FDNY firefighters and their family members.

Would you like to leave your own tribute to 9/11? leave a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/leadingchaos or send me an email to ria@leadingchaospodcast.com

The post 053 – 9/11 Tribute with David Shriner Cahn appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

In case you didn’t know it: Brewing beer is hard work. The brewer has to manage a lot of hot water to make a cool product. And that is the easy part! Getting brand loyalty requires providing new products continually and making the same recipe spot on, over and over again. Try that in your kitchen!

Gary Bogoff, President and CEO of Berkshire Brewing Company

Gary’s passion for  homebrewing led him on an amazing journey from local micro brewery to regional brewery.

Like many entrepreneurs, the product that drove Gary to success is still a driving force – “I like beer”, but the true measure of his success lies in “Brewing Calm” leadership, i.e., People Management.

Gary Bogoff discusses his concept of Controlled Chaos and what it takes to remain on top of the continually growing craft beer scene.

He offers us a glimpse into the life of brewing 4 times a day and what it takes to stay steady on. Gary also reveals what he considers to be the most chaotic part of being a craft brewery in the 21st Century.

Download this episode and listen to me, Ria who’s real claim to fame is being the western Massachusetts’ beer writer even though her full time gig is being CEO of Response Training Programs LLC – yes somehow the 2 roles work ~

Links to Berkshire Brewing Company

Website: Berkshire Brewing

Berkshire Brewing Facebook page

Twitter: @BerkshireBrewCo

The post 052 – Brewing Calm appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Brendan Hufford is a multi-tasker extraordinaire! Listen to him discuss his morning schedule that begins at 3 am and allows him to hone his entrepreneurial DNA and have quality time with his family.

Brendan Hufford’s morning ritual for getting the day going, begins with:

The 5-minute journal

3 –  things I am grateful for

3 – things I want to accomplish today

1- Affirmation

He listens and mediates with an App called Head Space App

This morning ritual is based upon Hal Elron’s book Miracle Morning

The goal is to tackle 1 major task per day.

Brendan says, “Don’t think you have time? Do a time audit.”

And follows with “Soon you will find all the time wasters.”

Leaving us all wondering: How can one person be more successful than someone else? We all have the same 24-hours!

Find out more about Brendan Hufford and what he means by being a “hot mess” and how he moved through addiction and onward towards success.

More info on Brendan Hufford and free resources go to:

http://brendanhufford.com/chaos

Brendan Hufford’s Martial Art that he studies: Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu

Brendan’s Podcast:

http://brendanhufford.com/podcast/

via iTunes Entrepreneurs and Coffee Podcast

Brendan’s Twitter Feed: @BrendanHufford

Brendan’s Instagram page @theBrendanHufford

Brendan’s entrepreneurial spirit and love of Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu led him to start an online store for Jiu-Jitsu uniforms

http://www.okkimonos.com/

Gary Vaynerchuk inspired Brendan. Check out Gary’s page too.

Please leave a Review and Ratings for the Leading Chaos Podcast via iTunes 

The post 051- Hot Mess |Brendan Hufford appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Tools needed: Willingness to Try.

No leprechaun charm required.

Think luck – Be Lucky

Over the past ten episodes we have been discussing each of the Ten Tips for Redirecting Conflict from Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management.  For this episode I have aptly renamed them the 10 Lucky Tips.

We are reviewing and recapping each of the 10 Lucky Tip… and offering up a bit of what I have learned in this mini series within a series.

The full series is called The Leading Chaos Story where we have been delving into my book and sharing some of the behind the scenes stories.

The Leading Chaos Story begins at Episode 18-PT1- The Leading Chaos Story

Here are the links to each of the individual episodes on each specific tip of the 10 Lucky Tips. And by the way, I like the name 10 Lucky Tips because when I feel conflict free – that is the most luckiest feeling in the world.

Review along with me in my book on page#90 to see each of the renamed 10 Lucky Tips below.

What’s that? Why did I rename these tips? I knew you would ask, so here is the short list.

1. Because it is fun

2. I’ve learned that a bit more of story telling sure helps when discussing conflict. I mean “sheesh” conflict is so not cocktail chatter.

3. The current names in the book are clinical – versus these new names are well, easier to remember.

I do discuss renaming of each tip in this episode and a bit more of why I call this episode 10 Lucky Tips

Meanwhile, here are the episode links to each of the 10 Lucky Tips.

Episode 40- PT21-Hello Mr. Angry a.k.a. #1 Say a Lot by Saying a Little

Episode 41-PT22-Silence & Chaos a.k.a. #2 Silence

Episode 42-PT23-Naked Emotions a.k.a #3 Acknowledge Emotions

Episode 43-PT24-Slow Dance a.k.a #4 Take One Step at a Time

Episode 44-PT25-Savvy Turtle a.k.a #5 Set the Pace

Episode 45-PT26-The Invitation a.k.a #6 Be Mindful of Words that Incite

Episode 46-PT27-Say What? a.k.a #7 Actively Listen

Episode 47-PT28-Having You @Hello a.k.a #8 Avoid Objectifying Yourself

Episode 48-PT29-Expose Yourself a.k.a #9 Tell it Like It Is

Episode 49-PT30-Create Opportunities a.k.a #10 Create Opportunities

Think Luck – Be Safe – Be Lucky

The post 050-PT31- 10 Lucky Tips appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

In this episode we are discussing tip #10 of the 10-Tips for Redirecting Conflict titled: Create Opportunities from my book: Leading Chaos: An Essential Guide to Conflict Management

Having an open door is an opportunity. Some opportunities feel like they almost magically appear. Take for instance the fall of the Berlin Wall. That big old wall separated East Germany from West Germany from 1961 to 1989.

Who would have thought that the Berlin Wall would be torn down. But on November 9, 1989 it did, and not because it was old and crumbling, but because a chain of events occurred that opened the door and made it so.

Check out this link for more info on the Berlin Wall http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/11/07/berlin-wall-facts/18668817/

I certainly look at the peaceful fall of the Berlin Wall as a miracle.

But we don’t have to be miracle makers to create opportunites. All we have to do is find a way to open the door without expectations.

Let’s first look at Creating opportunity before a conflict.

Take the simple phrase: How may I help you?

The expectation is that you will have an answer and that is the first clue that maybe we might want to rephrase this question to provide a bit more opportunity.

Instead of How may I help you?

We can say, “I am willing to help and will stand back until you need me.”

Can you see how no answer is required for the person who is in despair or maybe just repairing a leaking faucet? Regardless, it opens the door to engage or not and that alone creates opportunity to remain open to communication.

Listen along as we discuss how to remain nonjudgemental and optimistic as we sort through the scenario from my book: Redirecting Michael toward a New Goal [new Opportunity]

Given the opportunity, miracles do happen.

The post 049- PT30- Create Opportunities appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Smile and the whole world smiles back at you

Actually this isn’t the title, but quite frankly, I wish I had called it so, in my book. Instead the actual title inLeading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management is “Telling it like it is”. yes I know clinical -oh well – that is why I podcast. To learn how to hone my language and move out of the analytical mind speak.

“Tell it like it is” is exposing our truth instead of hiding the fact that conflict is scary at times.

In this episode, we discuss the value of speaking our truth and telling a person exactly how we feel about the conflict. If that isn’t exposure, I don’t know what is.

I do know and I don’t mean to digress but when you think about it – humans and clams have one thing in common when it comes to conflict – clamping down and holding tight. For clams it is a no brainer that an open shell is a vulnerability. Humans though always lose out if their primary mode when under attack is to clamp down and shut out the world.

Exposing ourself might be counter intuitive, but it is always the right thing to do when intervening during a crisis.

I used this technique to help a young teen turn around his day and move on from negative leadership to positive leadership and all it took was being truthful and exposing myself to help the teen find himself.

Listen now and find out how you too can Expose Yourself and help other move on and out of negative repetitive behavior.

The post 048-PT29 – Expose Yourself appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

When the person you are speaking to is angry and upset, continue to use words that not only keep your initial connection  alive, but thriving.

Create connection by moving from our heart

This episode brings is on Tip #8 of the 10 Tips for Redirecting Conflict. Which in my book is Titled as:

Avoid Objectifying Yourself

• “The rules are …”
• “The Program says that …”
• “In this house…”

Are three perfect examples of how we can immediately drop our connection and dehumanize ourself. If we are speaking to Mr. Angry then the chances are that we are no longer being seen as Ria, Joe or Laureen, but as The Rule – The Program – The House.

And worse yet it is very easy to commit violence against inanimate objects.

Instead of saying a rule statement: “You know the rules of this house! Wash your dishes.”

Try an I statement: “When I found the dirty dishes, I felt angry and upset. I’d appreciate it if you could wash them when you are done eating.”

Hello is a nice beginning, but you can shorten this to Hi, Hey – make sure it fits you, but isn’t so comfortable that you resort back to old habits of disconnecting.

Listen along to the episode as I detail more about this Tip with a story about a shoplifter and what I learned about Having You @Hello

The post 047-PT28 – Having You @Hello appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

We rely on active listeners to rely via physical and verbal clues that “Yes, Indeed I am heard.” There is really no better feeling that knowing your message was relayed.

And yet…more often than not…When we are stuck in the muck we disconnect and end up not hearing the speaker and need to ask “What?” “What’s that?” way too much.

Do not fear – their is hope for all of use to perfect the art of active listening. Not only is it pretty easy, but I have some simple phrases that help me when I need to listen, but might also be having a hard time.

Here is my short list for Instead of saying What?

• – Please say more
• – Say more
• – Could you say more?
• – Please go on

When you use these easy phrases with a bit of physical encouragement like:

• Nodding
• Open stance
• Indirect eye contact
• Tilted head

Yow! Life gets a whole lot easier.

Listen to this podcast and find out more tips on how to use Active Listening and avoid the “What?”

Listen to my interview with Rosie Mai Ep:034-Special-Great British Bed Push

Go Rosie – Great British Bed Push

Follow along on our twitter chat by using #GreatBritishBedPush

And @leadingchaos and @FullReach

The post 046-PT26- Say What? appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

We are discussing Tip 6 of the Ten Tips for Redirecting Conflict in my book Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management.

In the book, I titled this Tip 6: Be Mindful of Words that Incite. There are a lot of words and phrases that come to mind, but to say “Calm Down” has to be the most inciting phrase of all.

The funny thing is that when we say this phrase we do so because we want to help. Unfortunately, our best intentions get railroaded and we not only incite the person further, but shut down our initial invitation to move through the crisis.

The person in crisis hears “Calm Down”

And they think: Calm What?

My actions?

My words?

My thoughts?

The Invitation was meant to help the person, perhaps slow down their speech, stop moving around, and to work with you. But instead of clearly saying, “I want to hear, please speak clearly.” We shorten our invitation to converse by saying “Calm Down”

Here are some other phrases to avoid:

Think instead, What is it about her person that is not calm and tell them directly. Not only will it help them, but it will help you and your invitation to open communication.

Go ahead and download The Invitation and let’s enjoy a bit of you and me time as we both polish our crisis intervention skills and continue to work towards keep ourself safe and the scene at hand safe too.

The post 045-PT26- The Invitation appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Admit it and save yourself some time. You simply won’t win a race with a turtle. Instead, embrace the pace. Be one with the Way of the Turtle.

Yo- time to get your Savvy Turtle mojo

The Way of the Turtle is undoubtedly a high level skill for many crisis interveners. Why? When chaos enters a room there is an immediate up swell of  fear, misinformation, and distress. All that yuck leads us to irrational decision making.

Irrational decision making is best known as: A Knee jerk decision. Meaning, we jump to conclusions and excelerate to a ridiculous pace that is not sustainable. This ridiculous pace in turns feeds the confusion and makes chaos very happy indeed.

Advance practitioners in the field of crisis intervention know that you embrace the Savvy Turtle Way

How to Find you Savvy Turtle Way

1. First you read Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management. Go to page 90 and begin practicing the 10-tips to Redirection Conflict. Tip #4 & 5 work well together.

2. Practice Taking One Step at Time

Once you get this practice down…or at least get a sense of what you can gain when you take one step at a time – you will love doing the Slow Dance. If you don’t know what the Slow Dance is listen to the previous episode 043-PT23- Slow Dance.

3. Set the Pace– this is covered on page 99 in the book.

To become the turtle you must own up to every time you ever allowed yourself to be swayed by another person’s frenetic energy.

Instead (as it reads from my book) – Avoid matching an angry person’ level of agitation. If a person get agitated because you are not going fast enough Be a Savvy Turtle – Your only goal right then is to keep the scene safe –

A person who feels that nothing and no one is helping him will not be helped by others who match his frenetic energy.

And – for those who listened and want to hear the Drop the Content episode- click Drop the Content

Okay time to listen to this podcast and get the tips and stories of Savvy Turtle tips – and begin practicing the Way of the Savvy Turtle.

The post 044-PT25- Savvy Turtle appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

We can all benefit from knowing how to ~ Slow Dance

You know you are a Slow Dancer when you maintaing the pace of “one step at a time” even as everyone around you is vying to make the dance go faster you continue with a steady and rhythmic pace of one step at a time.

Not only will that make you stand out on the ball room dance floor it will also make you stand out in a crowd when chaos is around.

Chaos fears the Slow Dancer, because he or she will not allow themselves to be directed by the events at hand.  Even when everything and everyone around the Slow Dancer begins to swirl out of control – the Slow Dancer remains steady-on.

Here are the 4-Key steps for beginning a Slow Dance with a distressed person

1- Normalize our rate of respiration – focus on inhalation and exhalation

2- Water – get or have the person get a glass of water

The act of drinking water requires us to drink slowly

3 – Sit down – have the person sit down while they are talking to you

4 – Ask, “When was the last time you ate?”

Food is grounding. They can get some crackers to chew on and help them get grounded before they do anything else.

The key is to slow down our tasks and notice each step along the way. As we practice we are able to call upon the skill of Taking One Step at a time

Read along with me. I am on page 97 of

Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management

The post 043-PT24- Slow Dance appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

When we acknowledge our emotions we release the reign of chaos.

We are discussing in this episode the 3rd tip in the Ten Tips to Redirecting Conflict the skills of “Acknowledging Emotions” from my book

Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management

In this podcast episode, we review a real life intervention that took place while I was a crisis clinician at at local hospital. I described the scene in my book and titled it “Permission to Cry”. It is on page 96.

In Permission to Cry…Never before had I seen a man so naked to the world then on the night of a later crisis call. He stood stock still and was described as being catatonic.

With a soft hand on his shoulder we worked together to acknowledge his emotions and help him move on.

You have permission to cry – acknowledge your emotions – stand on top of the tree tops and yell out loudly “Im fed up and I can’t take it any more!”

 There are certainly easy ways to emote. Don’t you agree?

Naked Emotions is not a particularly happy state is it. And yet, we have all experienced moments of pure humility and despair.

Please listen along and feel free to send me a line and share your own thoughts on this podcast and the feeling of naked emotions.

The post 042-PT23- Naked Emotions appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

The answer might surprise you and yet it makes perfect sense.

The answer: Silence

In this episode we discuss Silence, Tip #2 in the Ten Tips to Redirect Conflict.

You can find all 10-Tips on page 90 of

Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management

Why is Silence, so effective in leading chaos? 

Consider Silences first as a behavior and secondly as a crisis intervention technique.

1. As a behavior, Silence imparts and projects neutrality. It stands to reason that Chaos’s flame will not get fanned by neutrality.

2. Silence, provides the space to listen. Listening is a gift to a chaotic person.

3. If we begin our engagement with chaos in Silence, when we do eventually speak the chaotic person will be open to listen. 

4. Our Silence allows us time to think and to consider the safest course of action – which is always safety.

Practice Silence

• Do take time to disconnect
  • turn off social media
  • turn off radio
  • turn off music
  • and yes take a breather even from podcasts.
• Make sure that you feel comfortable in your own silence
• Find quiet time to relax and think only of your breathing

Being comfortable in your own silence projects authority and ability.

Listen to the full episode to hear my own experience with Silence.

Great British Bed Push Update

Listen to this podcast episode: Great British Bed Push to find the behind the scenes story.

The bed is in Edinburg and is being repaired before she can roll on. So far 10,000 pounds have been raised – but that is still quite shy of her target of 200,000 pounds. Money she will use to build a home for vulnerable children. Donate Great British Bed Push donate

Please follow along and support her on twitter @fullreach

The post 041-PT22- Silence & Chaos appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

I invite you to read along with me. I am on page 90 of my book Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management and we are going through the first of Ten Tips for Redirecting Conflict.

#1. Say a lot, by saying a little

For regular listeners of this podcast, you know the value of using 1-4 worded sentences …Read: short sentences that don’t have a lot of confusing directions or meaning.

To say a lot, by saying a little is to work on connecting with an angry person and helping them feel seen and heard.

Anger listens to “Hello”

3-messages that we want to convey to an angry person when working towards opening communication

1. We want to listen

2. You are so very important

3. We do have the intention to help you

As basic as these sound, they are pivotal for turning anger around and working towards opening channels of communication.

Download and listen now to this episode “Hello Mr. Angry”

Great British Bed Push Update*****

Rosie Mai is wearing red sneakers with her plaid PJs – #GreatBritishBedPush – what will she wear when this pair wears out?

What’s that? You don’t know about Rosie Mai’s 1200 miles bed push to raise funds for vulnerable children? Listen to this podcast ep: Great British Bed Push to find the behind the scenes story.

The bed is in Edinburg and is being repaired before she can roll on.

We have been contacted via Response Training Programs Facebook page, by kind Scottish folk to find out if Rosie will be passing through Aviemore, Scotland a beautiful spot in the countryside. We hope they will connect and have a warm, dry bed for Rosie to sleep on.

Please follow along and support her on twitter @fullreach

And you can donate too, to support her drive to raise funds for a Children’s Home.

The post 040-PT21- Hello Mr. Angry appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

photo by Ryan McGuire @BellsDesign

I had a ton of fun reading following vignette in this episode – Listen for the music changes and let me know if you like this type of story telling.

Dramatic music in the background playing as Ria reads out loud the following story: Inside the house at 152 Lavender Lane, The Marshal family was getting ready for bed, everyone that is except for the eldest son, Sean. He was in his room talking to his friend Leo who had just told Sean that Kathy, Sean’s girlfriend was seen talking to John Smith – Sean’s arch-enemy ever since ninth grade…when John Smith and Kathy had dated for 2-weeks. Sean had a wicked temper and upon hearing this news about Kathy he slammed down the phone and knew he had to go out and find John Smith and tell him to stay away from his girl. Sean’s temper had been getting worse and worse and Mr. and Mrs. Marshal were beside themselves trying to figure out what to do!

Music change to Leading Chaos Podcast theme song “Pendulum”

~ That is until Mr. and Mrs. Marshal began subscribing to the Leading Chaos Podcast. The Marshal now know that people get upset and angry due to a loss of self control (listen to Ep:28-PT19-Undressing Anger like Mr. & Mrs. Marshal did to learn more about anger’s relationship to self control) and when Sean’s temper is flaring instead of taking Sean’s control away – they can instead empower Sean to regain self control. Music change back to dramatic tone…. Sean was carrying his sneakers and pulling up his sagging jeans and he ran down the stairs and into the Marshals living room Sean yelled out “I’ll be back in a while.” Mrs. Marshal said, “It’s 10 Sean can it wait till tomorrow?” “John Smith is seeing Kathy. No it can’t wait.” Mr. Marshal replied, “Girl trouble?” Ya, but I will take care of it. Mr. Marshal continued, “Can I ask you a quick favor?” “What?” said Sean hurriedly?

“I’m going to take a slow breath in and then exhale – please join me” Background music change again!

And without waiting Mr. Marshal started breathing in and letting his chest visibly rise. And then he exhaled out slow and loudly.

Sean looked at his father sideways and shook his head.

“Just this small favor Sean, I know you can do it.”

Sean, breathed in and Mrs. Marshal joined in too. With Mr. Marshal leading the breathing exercise, the three Marshals were able to all breathe out at the same time and then Sean snickered, “You guys are so weird.”

Mr. Marshal replied, “It is good to see you smile.” Then he said, “The night is long how and I know you really want to run right out the door. But you can control time right now. How about you and I go talk about this girl trouble and make a plan that you won’t regret.” Music in the background playing as Ria reads out loud the following story:

When we think we have no power or control, we can do simple steps to turn a situation around.

5- techniques to use when helping to win over an angry person

1. Offer them choices
2. Take care of their self image
3. Acknowledge their power
4. Address them with respect
5. Provide a win/win solution

Listen to this episode and find out how to integrate these winning tools into your communication skill list.

Great British Bed Push Update*****

What’s that? You don’t know about Rosie Mai’s 1200 miles bed push to raise funds for vulnerable children? Listen to this podcast ep: Great British Bed Push to find the behind the scenes story.

She is moving south from Scotland to England.

She was given a safety vest from some kind stranger, but had a bit of negative comments.

Please follow along and support her on twitter @fullreach

and you can donate too, to support her drive to raise funds for a Children’s Home.

The post 039-PT20- Win Anger Over appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Time to Undress Anger and show it for what it is…sometimes scary, but no so bad.

 Yes, anger is banking on you not knowing what to do, what to say and what to think.

Anger loves the “what’s” that create confusion and chaos. But, with a little bit of know-how you can peal away at anger and undress its flame.

And it gets better!

All we have to do is peal away the onion and anger one layer at a time.

In this episode I share a pivotal moment for me when I “got” anger for the first time and eliminated the odor.

It all began, while researching on the cause and effect of anger and writing what is today known as the Response Curriculum. I came across an article written by Dr. Barry J. Nigrosh titled “Physical Contact Skills in Specialized Training for Prevention and Management o f Violence” which referred to the Fear of Loss of Self-Control as the generalized cause of anger and aggression.

Ah-Ha! I thought. That makes absolute sense, but what followed in that article from 1983 has stuck with me ever since –

1. The attack or violent episode gives the person a brief moment of power and thus relief from feeling hopelessness.

2. The person fears losing control, they feel power from the violent act, but it also stirs up an immense amount of anxiety internally.

With these two layers I began approaching anger from a whole new direction and no longer feared it, because it’s stink no longer stuck.

Listen to the full podcast here and learn how to use these two statements to undress anger in your own backyard.

Do you want to leave a Rating and Review for this podcast on iTunes and don’t know how?

Here’s how.

Click on this picture and it will take you to the iTunes page

Step 2 for iTunes Rating and Review

Step 3: Write Review Box in iTunes

Thank you!

The post 038 – PT19 – Undressing Anger appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

In this episode,

I explore the exception to the rule and call it the

“Upside of Confrontation”, aka, This Unruly Intervention’s Positive Attributes +++

Wouldn’t you prefer to be on the winning side of a confrontation?

To get to the Upside, we must first clarify the Downside, so you can stay on track and keep moving forward.

3 Notable Downsides

1- If this is your only way to manage conflict it will weaken your authority. Read: people begin to both expect your rants and thus ignore you.

2- The person you are confronting might seek retaliation.

3-It is a less than perfect role model for how-to manage conflict, because it is rarely done well.

4-Confrontation doesn’t provide an exit.

What is an exit? Find out more via Episode 30-Pt13-Create Exits

Upside to Confrontation:

Sometimes it works!

A well-placed confrontation can create scene safety.

A well-placed confrontation requires perfect timing. The following are 3-key elements to using this technique well.

1-Make sure you can keep yourself safe, if you become a target of aggression, after confronting someone.

2-Be clear and concise with your statements.

3-Act without ego, as your driver.

When do I use confrontation?

When a person is being bullied

When I see an injustice

Make sure you are speaking an authentic truth, like I did in episode 31-Pt14- Give Conflict an Action. In that episode I asked the angry young man to “Walk with me. Please”, but before that point when the crowd was gathering and wanted to see a fight, I began chanting “No fighting here, there are children.” It was both a direct message and an authentic truth that is hard to argue.

Listen to this episode now  and hear my background story of a Confrontation that worked.

The post 037-PT18- Upside of Confrontation appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

This photo shows us exactly what a horse can see when they are wearing blinders. Use this imagine to determine where to stand when your goal is to speak to the person, not their blindside.

If you are attempting to help a person in distress who is unaware of you because you are standing on their blindside, then you are essentially wasting your breath and most likely…a whole lot of words.

Why? People have a blindside when chaos is present in the form of anger, fear, trauma and slap happy drunkenness. Each of these emotions can consume our clarity.

In this episode I unveil how to make sure you are talking to the person and not their blindside.

Below are 4-opening for the blindside, but if you listen to the podcast you will get a whole lot more info on each technique.

1. Position yourself diagonally off to the side of the person, when speaking.

Avoid talking to them like a Drill Sergeant would on the side and into the person’s ear.

They won’t see you.

2. Use your hands to create movement and direct the person towards your voice.

Make sure to use both hands.

3. Nod your head in the direction that you want the person to move.

4. Use Civility. Like Excuse me, Thank you for listening and Walk with me. Please. I have a dedicated podcast to this topic here.  Ep:027-PT10-Story-Civilty Works

Great British Bed Push Update

Roise Mai Iredale had to soup up her bed and put on fancy new wheels.

New wheels on #RosieMai bed for #GreatBritishBedPush

She trucked the bed north to Scotland and will be pushing the bed to south England.

Listen to my interview with Rosie Mai Ep:034-Special-Great British Bed Push

Follow along on our twitter chat by using #GreatBritishBedPush

And @leadingchaos and @FullReach

The post 036-PT17 – Opening the Blindside appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Take time to Breathe to Relax

In this podcast I will provide you with the opportunity to breathe along as we sort through the Breathe to Relax App. This App is from The National Center for Telehealth & Technology which is a component center of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE). 

The App is really worthwhile for helping you manage the worst of days and the best of days and when you can’t slow down your breath.

Chaos love it when we feel out of sorts, so why not try the free Breathe2Relax App now.

Do subscribe to this podcast on iTunes and please leave a review and rating.

The post 035-Breathe to Relax appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Full Reach founder, Rosie Mai Iredale, is pushing a bed from London to Scotland.

Rosie Mai is the founder of Full Reach and this is not her first challenge, albeit is it the greatest thus far. She has already lived off of only 1-pound per day for 30-days and during another challenge lived for 4-days without the ability to see, hear or speak.

She sets off on May 1, 2015 to not only raise awareness for the need of beds for vulnerable children, but to actually raise funds to build a Children’s Home. This enterprising 25-year-old will don pajamas and sleep in the 110-pound bed each night. She is relying on good weather, kind people and safe havens, as she travels north.

Listen to her story behind the bed push and donate today to Full Reach.

http://www.fullreach.co.uk/reach/

Follow along on her quest and give her a shout our via twitter @fullreach

Look to her youtube channel for updates and past and present challenges.

See Rosie’s bed under construction 

The post 034-Special-Great British Bed Push appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

No need to solve every dang conflict that arises, when all you really have to do is Confirm Scene Safety.

Yep – Is that rock science or what?

Bada Boom, Bada Bing

Shaking hands is for sealing deals.

I know some people will differ with my opinion. Gasp! …and want to do a ton of work and try to solve the conflict as if it is a scene of a crime. But, alas this wouldn’t be a Resolution REVOLUTION if I was just following the crowd and trying to do it the same way as everyone else. BORING.

Okay so I am a bit punchy writing this bit of news, but then again it is a mini revolution and BIG letters work well for such things.

Listen to this podcast and set yourself free from way too much work. Just confirm scene safety – that alone is a type of resolution.

If you are ready to really seize the day and manage resolution fully, listen to 032-PT15-Don’t Sweat Conflict Resolution and set yourself free from chaos leading you.

The post 033-PT16-Resolution REVOLUTION! appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

You are in the company of billions of people, who are stuck on the word “Resolution” as if it is the end all of a conflict.

“Working Towards Conflict Resolution” via Communication Skills, increases the opportunity of achieving Resolution.

Don’t sweat Conflict Resolution.

Don’t believe me? Well then, ask yourself, “When was the last time, I resolved a conflict?”

Still thinking? Don’t sweat it. You are working harder than you need to and it is time to give yourself a break.

What do I propose instead? Good question.

I think first, Don’t Sweat Conflict Resolution.

As it stands alone, it is insurmountable. Conflict is born of behavior. The behaviors that we bring into a conflict impact how we communicate when we are in conflict with others. So where are you going to put your hard earn time? Working towards a nearly unsolvable quest – like resolving a conflict or working on your conflict management skills which are basically:

How you communicate.

I like to begin with the 2-words “Working Towards” Conflict Resolution to qualify what my actual goal is.

Feels simple doesn’t it. And it should.

Don’t sweat Conflict Resolution, it will only bring you down every time the same conflict resurfaces again and again.

Listen along to this 12-minute episode – and I guarantee by the end you will feel as I do: Don’t Sweat Conflict Resolution.

The post 032-Pt15- Don’t Sweat Conflict Resolution appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Can violence happen at happy, outdoor, family events like Bread and Puppet Circus? Yes. Knowing what to do and what to say can make a bad scene safe.

Conflict is an action, like a Swinging Angry Man (SAM). Try to contain SAM and he won’t be happy. What to do instead? Give SAM a doable, “safe” action.

What is a doable action? Something, that I know SAM can successfully do and help him move that anger out of his system like,

• Walking
• Turning
• Stepping
• Looking

The bonus of providing a doable action is that it creates an opening and thus an exit for SAM out of the volatile scene at hand. The last podcast was on Creating an Exit and it will provide you with great info on the power of an Exit and how to create an exit… Now back to SAM.

Instead of telling SAM to “stop swinging” I can say, “Take a step back” or “Lift your arms” Both doable actions.

or I can say my favorite phrase, “Walk with me Please.”

In this podcast episode, I discuss an epic crisis intervention that I took part in at a remote setting – read: farmer’s field. I was camped out waiting for the Bread and Puppet Circus to begin. Thousands of people use to camp out in northern Vermont for a weekend event of puppets and pageantry at the Bread and Puppet base in Glover, Vermont. I was camping with family and friends on a field when a fight broke out at a nearby encampment of circus goers.

The scene had a real potential to escalate into a fist fight or worse. I provided the parties involved with an action and made a bad scene safe. I used the “Walk with me Please” phrase and it worked like a charm.

You can read along with me via my book: Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management Revised Edition 2010.  Go to page 59 and the scenario called Creating an Alliance at the Campground

Paperback link

eBook Link

The post 031 – Pt14 – Give Conflict an Action appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Everybody likes to Exit, whether it is getting off a highway or getting out of a tight spot like a bad argument. No matter how you slice it, we have all longed for an Exit at one time or another.

Everybody needs to A “Push this button to Exit.” when tempers are flaring.

Recall for a moment the last time you were in an endless argument just waiting for an exit to appear. It might not have looked pretty (someone leaves and slams the door), but exits always happen – whether good or bad.

Through my work in crisis intervention, I have learned to never, ever take a good exit for granted. I have also learned that exits aren’t one sided; “This exit is mine and that exit is yours.” When the shoes are hitting the fan, all exits are fair game, BUT some will take you upward and some will take you down. Luckily we do have a choice and can Create the perfect Exit.

Consider Creating an Exit as the key to Making a Scene Safe.

In this podcast I go over a bunch of options for “Making an unsafe scene, safe”. Yes indeed, when we Create Scene Safety we are, Creating an Exit!

Create your own Exit and download this podcast now.

The following Power Point Slide is from the Response Crisis Intervention Curriculum. Note Create an Exit is at the bottom and is taught in this curriculum as a specific skill for creating an exit for a colleague during a crisis intervention – listen to the podcast and find out how.

Response Crisis Intervention Curriculum – Make the Scene Safe ppt

The post 030-PT13 – Story – Create an Exit appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Being in the Beginner’s Mindset allows us to see beyond the mundane.

Imagine the following true life scenario: Two men were shouting and making a scene at the cafe, yet when Mrs. Temple, an octogenarian, walked up and poured her hot coffee on the big guy – both men stepped back.

This scene was not safe and Mrs. Temple was undeniably courting with danger.

Chock it up to sheer luck for Mrs. Temple.

Sometimes the uncanny works, but more often than not you will always be the smartest person on the block when you think before proceeding into danger.

In this episode we begin Chapter 4

of my book

Leading Chaos: An Essential Guide to Conflict Management 

titled

“Is the Scene Safe?”

I am discussing how to evaluate when a Scene is Safe and when it is not.

You can assess scene safety by using these three cues –  Feel, Look, Listen

Feel, Look, Listen might seem super basic yet,  brilliant people put themselves at risk every day because we tend to make the simple complex.

The Feel, Look, Listen assessment is part of every professional

First Responder’s protocol.

See below how the Response Curriculum uses the basic first aid tools of Feel, Look, Listen to assess scene safety.

To Feel, Look and Listen is the first step of Scene Safety Assessment. Power Point Slide from Response Curriculum.

Listen along and find out how you can use Feel, Look, and Listen as an assessment tools to keep yourself safe.

The post Ep29-PT12-Story-Feel Look Listen appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Police, medical, fire, rescue, military and every other team of

First Responders follow a Personal Safety protocol.

Why?

The obvious reason is because “it works”. Sound flippant, but it is true. Imagine if all the firemen went running into the burning building without taking care of their own safety and then they had to be rescued too!

Oh dear – Right?

After all, It serves no one to if you become unable to assist others, because you didn’t ask, “Am I safe?”

Avoid reacting and letting your emotions guide you.

Professionals “Act” in response to a crisis.

People who forsake their own personal safety, rely on those of us who think “Am I safe?” and secure personal safety first.

Yes, it is an antiquated notion to think that one should forsake their own personal safety in order to help others. So let’s move on and find out what to do after you ask, “Am I Safe?”

By asking, “Am I safe?” we set into motion the Response Protocol (find out more on the Protocol via the link to Curriculum) that not only provides leadership, but also measurable steps to create scene safety.

Here is the basic of the Personal Safety steps to take within the Response Protocol:

“Am I safe?” ~ power point slide from Response Training Programs LLC Seminar

If you are not safe, how can you assist another person and help them gain safety?

Listen to this podcast episode and find out how to make yourself safe.

The post Ep28-PT11- Am I Safe? appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

“Excuse me”, “Thank you” & “Please” are understated words that mean so much. Sure we use these words and phrases in our day-to-day interactions, but when conflict strikes civility stops.

Make Civility Work for you by practicing your social graces even when tempers are flaring. It won’t easy at first  saying, “Excuse me” to two people who are fighting. Initially it is counterintuitive, but over time and with practice it becomes easey peasey!

If they turn you way or shift their eyes towards you after you say “Excuse me” you can follow up with a

“Thank you for listening”

Certainly it feels better than screaming and shouting, “Stop that!” or “Hey! Cut that out.”

With a little bit of practice we can open the door to communication by letting Civility Work for us.

Here are a few phrases that we use in the Response Curriculum as a starting point for teaching Civility, Kindness and Situational Alliance.

Use short phrases that create an alliance during a crisis intervention

Listen to the podcast and get the fuller picture for making Civility Work for you.

The post Ep:27-PT10-Story-Civility Works appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

You bet you would!

Pausing Time, as a conflict management tool, is the topic on this episode of the Leading Chaos Podcast.

We all know that time can feel like it is passing by with lighting speed when tempers are raging and emotions are high. Is it really time that is racing or the beat of you heart?

No magical skills required for Pausing Time, other than your ability to harness Self Control. Then again, if self control is not your forte, it will indeed feel magical when you start pausing time.

I am reading from my book

Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management

Go to page 48 in the book

and follow along with me as we explore a True Life Story of when

I was Pausing Time via “Self Control at a Car Accident”

Leading Chaos is learning how to make time stand still

The post Ep26-PT9- Story – Pausing Time appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Self Control is your best friend when chaos and conflict is present, helping you stay calm, clear headed, and able to respond without animosity.

Your ability to stay focused, clear headed, calm and able to respond without animosity is priceless – For YOU and all those watching on.

This podcast episode is part 8 of an ongoing series where I am reading from my book –

Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management

Please read along with me, I am on page 45.

And

Find 2 Key tips for garnering your Self Control.

The post Ep:25-PT8-Story-Self Control appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

In this episode, I discuss a key communication response that we can do when speaking to a person exhibiting rage as I read from my book Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management. In this episode I am on the third chapter which is titled Am I safe? Please do read along with me via the eBook version or the hard copy.

I teach the concept of being “Drunk on Rage” in the Response Crisis Intervention Curriculum. Rage is so very common and because it is so common we do have lots of experience and insight into rage.

Consider a person enraged to be intoxicated as if they have drunk too much alcohol.  Like an intoxicated person their ability to think clearly and hear what you are saying is greatly compromised by a very high blood/alcohol level.

Ep:24-PT7-Story-Drunk on Rage

They can and do not hear more than 1 or 2 words.

Listen along as I detail what to consider when speaking to a person who is Drunk on their own Rage.

In the next episode we will continue to build upon the Response Protocol for keeping ourselves safe when others are enraged.

The post Ep:24-PT7-Story-Drunk on Rage appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

So often we feel overwhelmed when witnessing an emotional emergency which could take place at home, at work or on the streets as one person or more, becomes upset and irrational.

On the other hand when we witness a medical emergency, bystanders get actively engaged.

Why?

Basic first aid has a very set protocol to follow and emotional first aid does not.

Let’s change that paradigm

Listen to how I married the tools used in medical first aid into the Response Curriculum and created an emotional first aid protocol.

Link to:

My book that I am reading from during this series.

In paperback, link below

Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management

Get a copy as an

eBook

The post Ep:23 – PT6 – Story- Emotional First Aid Protocol appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Got conflict? Does the same conflict keep popping up?

Until guided toward another way to respond to a difficult situation, one will keep going back to what is most familiar. Learn how to change Repetitive Behavior that keeps capable people stuck in conflict.

Create healthy conflict management habits.

Create a plan of action.

Do integrate an action plan into your daily life for Repetitive Behaviors that keep getting everyone stuck in habitual conflict.

Read along with me as we untangle the Leading Chaos Story with

Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management

The post Ep:22 – PT5 – Story – Repetitive Behavior appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Our ability to make sense of an incident is often compromised by our emotions. Put more simply-we get caught up in the content of the conflict.

Can you Drop the Content?

The Content is the story line of a conflict the –

“Who done it?”

“What happened?”

and often the

“Who is to blame?”

Learning to drop the content is a:

Prevention skill,

an Intervention skill

and a Conflict Resolution skill

Listen to this episode as we untangle the content and learn to give it the big boot, so we can attain safety.

If you would like a copy of

Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management

Subscribe to the podcast and I will send you a link for you own free eBook

Sorry I can’t sign an eBook…but if I could I would.

For a hard copy click here

I give everyone who leaves a review and rating on iTunes a big virtual hug

The post Ep:21- PT4 – Story – Drop the Content appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Read along with podcast host and author Ria Windcaller as she reads from her book:

Subscribe to Leading Chaos Podcast eNews and Updates

And

Get your FREE copy of Ria’s book so you can read along during this ongoing series of  the “Story”. This is a limited time offer.

The post Ep:20 – PT3 – Story – Warning Indicators appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Part 2: Self Leadership

An ongoing series where author and podcast host

Ria Windcaller

Discusses her Book

What is the Burden of Conflict?

How can you Simplify Conflict?

Subscribe to Leading Chaos Podcast eNews and Updates

Get your FREE, limit time offering, copy of Ria’s book so you can read along during this ongoing series of the “Story”.

The post Ep:19 PT2 – Story – Self Leadership appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management (2012) is available in hardcopy and eBook.

eBook

English : http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/32949

Dutch : https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/124014

Hardcopy

English : http://www.amazon.com/Alexandria-A.-Windcaller/e/B001K7ZDMC/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

Dutch : If you would like a copy in Dutch and live in the Nederlands contact – mailto:j.delange@emergis.nl

Jeppe can mail you a copy from within the Netherlands. He works at Emergis a mental health organization that teaches the Response Curriculum as detailed in this book.

Want a FREE COPY of eBOOK version of Leading Chaos.

Subscribe to this podcast news. 

Subscribe between January 8, 2014 till January 15, 2014 and get your FREE copy of this eBook and read along with me in the next podcast episode.

Leading Chaos Read along series #podcast #Success #Safety #Kindness

Send Leading Chaos questions to:

mailto:ria@leadingchaospodcast.com 

The post Ep:18 – PT 1 – The Leading Chaos Story appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

New beginning offers us the opportunity to well…start anew and celebrate success. These 12 Tips for 2015 are tried and true. Let’s get started with what we know and what we need to remember for leading chaos successfully into the new year.

Tip #1 for 2015 –  Be true to yourself. 

You know what it feels like from the top of your head to the tip of your toes when life is going well and you are being true to yourself. It is a visceral feeling of contentment. Use your body as your barometer. Is your neck tight, your back sore are you feeling sleepy? OR Are you feeling light on your feet despite your physical health?

Tip 2 for 2015 –  Be true to others. It is obvious no matter how good you are at “faking it – till you make it.”

Tip 3 for 2015 – State clear goals.

If you tend to say, “I’m going to go take that trip to the beach with my family someday.”

Try rephrasing the same goals as.

“I’m going to the beach with my family.”

Believe it, See it, Do it.

Tip 4 for 2015 – Be mindful of your impact on other.

Tip 5 for 2015 – Be mindful of others and their impact on you.

         When you visit a certain relative or friend, it can feel like your happy thoughts get sucked out of you?

– Maybe the next visit should be shorter?

– Visit with others to create a boundary.

– Surround yourself with people that are going to uplift you.

Tip 6 for 2015 – Create a habit of “Celebrating Small Successes”

Listen to the podcast and do the 15-second happy dance with me.

Tip 7 for 2015 – Embrace Quality

In actions

In service

As a standard

Life is short. Make it count.

Tip 8 for 2015. Reply to emails in a timely fashion

It will help you with time management and your contacts will adore you.

Tip 9 for 2015 – Take time to play a.k.a. re-ignite recess into your daily routine.

Tip 10 for 2015 – Stay hungry for knowledge

Life offers us an opportunity to participate. Make every moment count.

Check out Tony Robbins new book Money: Mastering the Game

Tip 11 for 2015 – Put safety first

I’m not a fanatic when it comes to safety unless it involves me, children, the elderly or someone who can not take care of themselves. Okay maybe I am a bit of fanatic. But hey, if you watch all those home videos on tv that make everyone laugh often they involved someone getting hurt. Ouch. I love a good laugh – when it isn’t at the expense of others.

Speaking of, Did you hear about the new night club on the moon?…find the punch line in the podcast.

 Tip 12 for 2015 – Accentuate the positive.

Probably now secret that this is easier to do than we think. Do it for yourself in 2015

 Life it too short to worry 

Happy New Year

Link to Tony Robbins’ Book

Money Master the Game

The post Ep:17 – 12 True Tips for 2015 appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

#MyInterview

Cyber-attacks, Political Strife, Social Media, #Hacktors and love of country.

Let’s find the silver lining to the ensuing mayhem in Sony’s Hack-Attack.

This is “My Interview”

#MyInterview went online December 25, 2014 at 3 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

My Interview is an overview of the events leading up to the release of the major motion picture titled – The Interview. Let’s discover the pearl of cosmic wisdom aka “the silver lining” when chaos is contained and brought to order .

Humans are prone to imperfections. Thus is could be said that our foibles and fumbles are no less important than our successes. That is the beauty of being human.

That quality of imperfection shines brightly today and the event leading up to this moment reflect to us all the perfect imperfections of our global society.

When we fumble and specifically when we fumble together we can get mad, hysterical, and consumed by a mob mentality or we can choose to lead chaos and create order and safety for all.

During the bright sunny month of June 2014 in Southern California two propaganda super powers went head to head: Sony Pictures Entertainment and North Korea.

Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (SPE) is based in Culver City, California and is the American entertainment subsidiary of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony.

The Pyongyang Government controls North Korea officially called the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. It is a country in East Asia, in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city. It is bordered by South Korea, China and a small section of the Tumen River also forms North Korea’s short border with Russia.

In June of 2014, The Pyongyang government  in a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon state that Sony’s movie “The Interview” is an “undisguised sponsoring of terrorism, as well as an act of war” The Pyongyang government promises

Here it should be noted that Sony Pictures Entertainment movie called The Interview starring, written, and directed by Seth Rogen and co-starring James DeFranco was written as a comedy about assassinating Kim Jong-un the 3rd Supreme Leader of North Korea.

Despite the Pyongyang governments promise of “decisive and merciless countermeasure” if “the U.S. administration tacitly approves or supports” this movie. Sony moves forward on working towards the release date of December 25, 2014.

Fast forward to November 24, 2014, precisely one month before the release of The Interview, when Sony’s internal computer system is hacked by “Guardians of Peace” (GOP). GOP displays their messages complete with a skeleton image, and the following message with #GOP

Warning: We’ve already warned you, and this is just the beginning. We’ve obtained all your internal data including your secrets and top secrets. If you don’t obey us, we’ll release data shown to the world.

Below this message are 5 links to zip drives of data that the GOP collected from Sony’s internal network.

On Monday December 1, 2014 The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launches an investigation into the GOP hack.

On Tuesday December 2, 2014 a public Pastebin file – pastebin is an online site where you will find anonymous posting included the spreadsheet containing the salaries of more than 6,000 Sony Pictures employees, including the company’s top executives.” The cyber attack also made public Sony employees’ names, job titles, home addresses, bonus plans, and salaries.

On Wednesday, December 3, 2014 Sony CEO Michael Lynton and co-chairman Amy Pascal— sent out the a company-wide memo that described the hacking as “a brazen attack on our company, our employees and our business partners”. Also on this same day The Interview’s actors James Franco and Seth Rogen’s paycheck for the movie was leaked.

On Thursday, December 4, 2014, employee notes are leaked decrying A-List actors mundane movies and a call to up the bar what they consider formulaic movies.

On Friday, December 5, 2014, hackers send a message to Sony employees telling them to support the GOP, “Please sign your name to object the false of the company at the email address below if you don’t want to suffer damage. If you don’t, not only you but your family will be in danger.”

 Saturday, December 6: “The Interview” actor James Franco hosts Saturday Night Live a satirical show produced by NBC. Says Franco,

“Something pretty crazy happened this week. I have this movie called The Interview coming out at Sony and this week Sony Studios got all their computers hacked… These hackers have leaked real personal information about everybody that works at Sony and I know eventually they’re going to start leaking out stuff about me. So before you hear it from someone else, I thought it would be better if you hear it from me. Soon you’ll know that my email is CuterThanDaveFranco@AOL.com. My password is LittleJamesyCutiePie — and this is all just a real violation of my personal life.”

During Franco’s monolog Seth Rogen comes on stage to telling Franco that both their phones have been hacked and private photos have been released. A few photos of silly antic of Franco and Rogen follow, like Rogen shown teaching Franco to read.

Sunday, December 7, 2014 North Korea’s government calls the Sony hack a ‘righteous deed and denies all involvement.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014 A note purportedly from the GOP, stated among other threats, “Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made. The world will be full of fear. Remember the 11th of September 2001.

Later this same day, Sony told theater that they can opt out of their commitments to show the movie. Soon Landmark Theaters said it was canceling the movie’s New York premiere, scheduled for Thursday December 18th at the Sunshine Cinema in New York City’s.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014 US intelligence news states that the cyberattacks on Sony were state-sponsored.

Saturday, December 20, 2014 The US ask for China’s help in stopping North Korea to launch cyberattacks

Monday, December 22, 2014 North Korea loosest its internet connection for a blackout period of approximately 10-hours with only some government sites uploading.

China Unicom, is China’s state-owned telecommunications company that manages Star Joint Ventures, North Korea’s state-run Internet provider. Though neither China nor the US accepted responsibility for the blackout.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014 North Korea experiences a black out again – though shorter.

Sony announces that The Interview will show at independent and art theaters during the original release day of December 25th.

President Barack Obama welcomes Sony’s decision to release the movie.

What is the Silver Lining of the Sony Cyber-Attacks?

Tis best if you download the podcast to find out. While that is downloading…here’s a hint

It begins with you

Links to Hungry for Love

The post EP: 16 – My Interview of The Interview appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Leaders of chaos are all about keeping the holiday season Chaos Free and there is no better way than easy, affordable gifts. Find 4 affordable gift giving ideas in this episode.

 The wildly popular Gift of Chocolate is always a winning ticket throughout the year. So why not keep it easy and go with a winning ticket?

You can buy chocolate or Listen to this episode as I explain how to make a really…(and I mean really) simple chocolate that everyone will “ooo” and “ahh” over.

Get the recipe here for “Bark” a delicious and easy to make chocolate candy recipe for kids and the “kitchen challenged”. Thanks Martha Stewart for the easy to make recipe. I love it! “Wink Wink so good for you with those antioxidants keeping life Chaos Free!”

Second gift giving idea is a Gift Certificate to Amazon or iTunes for the tech savvy loved ones in your life. You know you would use that gift certificate. It is always a winner for teens and 20-somethings…especially if it comes with some chocolate.

While online why not gift a copy of my book Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management. Also found in eBook. This is a great present for the teachers and emergency responders in your life that are interested in an easy protocol for managing conflict safely. It is available in hard copy and eBook and is both in English and Dutch.

The fourth and final gift idea is a gift that keeps giving.

First let me set the stage for this gift giving idea. If you have seen the movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory you all know how important it was to get a golden ticket. A golden ticket allowed the bearer to get into W.W.’s Chocolate Factory. Remember that song? “I got a golden ticket.” That is about the only line I remember, which is fine, because that is all you really need to know. With that premise you are well on your way to your own Shiitake Inoculation Party.

Instead of giving out golden tickets (much too expensive and gaudy) you hand out silver tickets this holiday season to all your loved ones (actually they look silver, but are really sheet metal business sized cards). On the ticket, you can etch with a pen “Shiitake”.

For my party I bought via the Internet (you will not find this at most local malls), wooden plugs of shittake spawn. Each bearer or bearers (like a family) of a silver ticket were entitled to 150 plugs of shittake spawn. Fungi spawn does not come in egg form. The plugs are pretty innocuous. I left mine in the refrigerator up till the day we had the party.

One hundred and fifty plugs will inoculate five 40-inch oak logs with thirty plugs per log! I sometimes harvest a pound per log during a good fruiting. In all, I had on hand 3000 plugs when I held my party.

Shiitake logs are indeed a gift that keeps giving. If you carefully tend to your mushroom logs you will get up to two fruitings per year, for 5-8 years depending upon the size of your log.

Is the stress beginning to melt away from your body yet? Perhaps this is a good time to pause and take a deep breath “In”, and now – “Out.” Good job.

All you have to have on hand this December are the silly silver looking cards. How easy is that? Now you will have more time to enjoy the company of friends and family or time walking your dog or just simply kicking back and slowing down.

Come the following March you can give every silver ticket bearer their 150 allotment of plugs or you can do like I did, have a Shiitake Inoculation Party. Why March? This gives you more time away from the holiday hustle and bustle, plus it is more temperate in March, especially if you live like me in the northeast.

The benefits of this gift plan are endless. Consuming Shiitake is good for you. Not only are fresh mushrooms unbelievably tasty (I took some on a business trip and cooked them up for a colleague of mind who I thought would spontaneously combust because the taste was so fantastic.) they are good for your immune system! What better way to combat stress then build up the good old immune system?

Word traveled quickly throughout my county when we held the Inoculation Party. The local hardware stores were selling out of 5/16-inch drill bits needed to make the holes for the shiitake plugs. Mushroom fever was taking over the town. The winter had been pretty snow free right up to a couple days before the gathering. Then a snowfall of 24 inches hit the ground. The soon proud to be Shiitake mushroom log owners were not fazed by a little snow. We inoculated over 80 logs that day!

A year later phones calls started coming in from the silver ticket holders, “We are cooking up our mushrooms right now as we are speaking”, “Uh, We have something growing on the logs, it is large. Are you sure we can eat it?” “We had a huge meal of Shiitake mushrooms last night. They were so tasty, I nearly swallowed my tongue.”

Three years later the calls kept coming in every time someone gets a fruiting. Those mushroom logs have gotten friends and family members who we rarely see, calling on a regular basis.

Cheers to a Chaos Free Holiday Season!

Find mushroom gift ideas here.

mushroompeople.com

oystercreekmushroom.com

The post Ep:15 – Chaos Free Holiday Gifts appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

“In this turbulent world, find what is true.”  Sensei Linda Holiday 6th dan and author of Journey to the Heart of Aikido: The Teachings of Motomichi Anno Sensei (2014).

In 1982, Linda Holiday founded Aikido of Santa Cruz, in California. She is the Executive Director and Chief Instructor of this nonprofit educational organization and dojo.

Linda began practicing of Aikido in California over forty years ago. In 1973 she moved to Japan living there for several years and receiving instruction from  Japanese Aikido teachers who had studied directly with the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba.

While there she met Motomichi Anno Sensei and began to studied with him.

Motomich Anno Sensei & Linda Holiday Sensei

Linda translated into English the teachings of Anno Sensei into “Journey to the Heart of Aikido”. She takes the reader on their own journey into the world of training in a martial art that is non competitive, yet fiercely defensive and while at the same time teaching kindness and compassion.

Listen as Sensei Linda Holiday speaks about finding a practice that sustains one in turbulent times, helping to hone the skill of self awareness, breath and center.

“It is crucial to have a practice that you can go back to, daily or weekly, that continues to move you in a good direction and cultivate really constructive habits…Aikido is really great for that.”

I certainly hope you can take Linda up on the invitation in this podcast to stop in at Aikido of Santa Cruz and watch a class or take a class. And if that is not an option there are Aikido dojos around the globe. You can use your favoirte search engine to search for Aikido – spelled Aikido.

My tip would be to make sure that as you enter the door of a dojo for the first time you see and feel joy. Teachers of Aikido like myself and Linda are humans and as such not supreme beings. So make sure you choose wisely.

Short of that and Most importantly – seek a practice, as Linda says “that you can go back to, daily or weekly, that continues to move you in a good direction and cultivate really constructive habits.”

If you are interested in honing a very basic yet critical skill for centering when chaos comes knocking on your front door. Look to Episode 2 of this podcast titled: The #1 Leading Chaos Techniques We All Do Daily –- there I spoke in length about the value of breathing specifically the power of our Exhale.

And while on the here on leadingchaospodcast.com website your are welcome to sign up and receive the weekly newsletter on this podcast guest and topics.

There you find information about my conflict management model: Response Training Programs LLC – a crisis intervention curriculum model that at it roots integrates the philosophy of no opponent in every intervention. And a link to my book Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management.

Links for Linda Holiday

Get the book: Journey to the Heart of Aikido

http://journeytoaikido.com

Linda Holiday Facebook Page

Facebook for Aikido of Santa Cruz

 YouTube

 There are many clips of Linda Holiday on YouTube. Below is one to get you started.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQFE7nxQa2U

The post Ep:14 – Linda Holiday: Journey to the Heart of Aikido appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

If the word “Hacker” sends a shiver up your spine and a sense of insecurity, meet Caleb James Delisle, Hacker and Benevolent Dictator of “cjdns”, an encrypted Internet Protocol (Ipv6).

Consider the World Wide Web, a sort of “United Nations” in Cyber Land, where each country and indeed their government watches over our virtual landscape. One would think that in the age of internet terrorism having an internal watchdog is a good thing. Citizens seeking privacy though beg to differ.

Hackers are self appointed virtual government watchdogs asking if “they” (the powers that be) are doing the right thing. And yes, not all Hackers are benevolent.

Dark Net also known as Tor allows you to surf the internet without being tracked.

The Tor network disguises your identity by moving your traffic across different Tor servers, and encrypting that traffic so it isn’t traced back to you. Anyone who tries would see traffic coming from random nodes on the Tor network, rather than your computer. (from Lifehacker.com)

The question that stands out most often is, “Why hide your browsing or business on the internet?”

For Hackers, it’s all about protecting privacy and has nothing to do with creating a business to traffic drugs or child pornography.

Listen now to our conversation as we are taken into the world of a Hacker.

Want to know how to stay safe while using Free Wifi?

The following information is from LifeHacker.com to read the full article go to this link:

http://lifehacker.com/5576927/how-to-stay-safe-on-public-wi-fi-networks

Here is an overview of this great article, by Lifehacker – no copyright infringement intended.

Go to your Settings:

1. Turn Off Sharing

In Windows: Open Control Panel, then go to Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center, then click Choose Change Advanced Sharing Settings.

Turn off file and printer sharing, and network discovery and public folder sharing.

In OS X: Go to System Preferences > Sharing and make sure all the boxes are unchecked. Turn off network discovery, which will be in the same place.

 2. Enable Your Firewall

Windows – Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Firewall

OS X – System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall

3. Use HTTPS and SSL Whenever Possible

Especially, when you are exchanging passwords for online buying or banking.

 4. Consider Using a Virtual Private Network (vpn)

 5. Turn Wi-Fi Off When You Aren’t Using It

LifeHacker details: How to Automate Your Public Wi-Fi Security Settings below and at the link above.

In Windows: When you first connect to any given network on Windows, you’ll be asked whether you’re connecting to a network at your home, work, or if it’s public. Each of these choices will flip the switch on a preset list of settings. The public setting, naturally, will give you the most security. You can customize what each of the presets entails by opening your Control Panel and navigating to Network and Sharing Center > Advanced Sharing Settings. From there, you can turn network discovery, file sharing, public folder sharing, media streaming, and other options on or off for the different profiles.

On OS X: OS X doesn’t have these options built-in like Windows, but an app like ControlPlane http://www.controlplaneapp.com/ can do a fair amount of customization. With it, you can turn on your firewall, turn off sharing, connect to a VPN, and a whole lot more, all depending on the network you’ve connected to.

Show Links

cjdns 

Xwiki

Hyperboria is the largest cjdns network, with hundreds of active nodes around the world.

 Chaos Communication Congress

Chaos Communication Congress. December 27th–30th 2014

4-day event that brings together software developers and hackers from around the world.

 More info on Chaos Communication Conference

http://www.techthefuture.com/technology/hacks-and-highlights-of-the-chaos-communication-congress/

The post Ep: 13 – Hacker Caleb James Delisle: Creating or Leading Chaos? appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

It is often the simple tasks in life that feel the most overwhelming. Selecting color certainly can be easy some of the time and overwhelmingly difficult the rest of the time.

How many times have we each needed to select a color theme for a wall or room. The process should be simple…you grab a few color sticks at the hardward store and then go home hold it up to you wall and think, “okay, no problem”. You spend 40 to 50 bucks on a can (because good paint is worth it) and then go home. When you start painting you realize “Hey, this color doesn’t go with my red carpet and brown couch.What was suppose to be simple can turn into a totally stressful task. And worse yet you pick the wrong color.

Gail Callahan aka the “KangarooDyer” is the author of Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece, (Storey Press) and the creator of the Color Grid – an amazingly simple tool that takes the guesswork out of color symmetry.

Gail provides us with a single tip that everyone can live by:

“Begin with the color that you like”

And then let the Color Grid help you find complimentary colors that make your choice POP!

 Listen here to this episode and find out how Tatoo artist to the Madison Avenue crowd use the Color Grid!

Gail Callahan links

Color Grid

YouTube – how to use Color Grid

http://www.kangaroodyer.com/

Webb Northampton Ma

Storey Press

Gail Callahan’s Books

Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece

Facebook

The post Ep: 12 – Leading Color Chaos – Gail Callahan appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Part 2 of the Ongoing Series: Creating Dialogue with a Chaotic Person

In this episode we continue on the journey of building our skills in creating dialogue, specifically with a chaotic person. Dialogue is a give a take where each person is willing and able to listen and speak. A one-sided conversation, where one person does all the talking is not conducive to open dialogue.

 In Part 1 of this series (episode 009) I discussed the 1st thing I say to a chaotic person, which is “Thank you”.

What I didn’t say in Episode 9 is the step before I say ‘Thank you”. Listen now to the podcast (approx – 16 mins), as I discuss how to use the 3 steps below when beginning dialogue.

1. “Excuse Me”
2. “Thank you”
3. Define the “Thank you”

Homework: What is a crisis validation? This type of validation will be covered in Part 3 of this ongoing series.

 This week’s App

GPS Motion X is now .99 cents, and worth every penny.

This is a great navigation tool that goes beyond typical GPS tools – with a circular menu bar for finding Coffee, Gas, Food and more. Currently rated the number 1 navigation App on iTunes

Links

Want to listen to the interview lead by Clarissa Ward of CBS 60-minutes as she interviews an Islamic Extremist click here

I hope you like learning and leading the world towards safety for all. Please share this podcast.

Thank you!

The post Ep:11-Part 2 Creating Dialogue with a Chaotic Person appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Award Winning Advocate and Author, Sheila Radzewicz, reads from her new book “The Impossible Only Takes a Little Longer”. Born with TAR Syndrome, she discusses 3 key elements that allowed her to deal with bullies, find acceptance, gain support, lead chaos…and in her free time SPIN FIRE around her head. I kid you not. She is amazing!!!!

Sheila has been featured in newspapers, interviewed on radio stations and in the national and international spotlight for earning her Black Belt degree in Tae Kwon Do. And that rank was attained after she received her Masters Degree in Criminal Justice.

As a motivational speaker, Sheila’s confidence and ability is spellbinding. Her written story is something you will remember for years to come.

 Listen to Sheila Discuss the 3-key elements for Leading Chaos

1- Listen

2- Support

3- Acceptance

 Links:

Sheila’s Website

Link below to get a copy of Sheila’s Book: The Impossible Only Takes a Little Longer

Buy via CreateSpace – this link will provide Sheila with the best revenue from her book. I do recommend buying via this site

Buy via Amazon

 Sheila’s Blog:

Find the Fierce

 Facebook

Sheila on Facebook

YouTube

Watch Sheila on her YouTube Channel

 Where Sheila Studied Tae Kwon Do

Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Studio Facebook Page

Sheila’s Twitter Feed

@sheilarad78

The post Ep:10 – Inspiration Born of Chaos appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

In this episode learn a key piece of information to consider when working to create dialogue with a chaotic person. A chaotic person is angry, emotional, and possibly psychotic.

You might have a family member who is chaotic. You might work with people who are chaotic. And of course we have all been chaotic at one point or another in our life. Go ahead fess up – you’ve been beside youself with rage, emotional and unable to listen to reason. It is not a good feeling nor a pretty site. But that is life when life feels raw and disorder abounds.

It might be hard to remember if or how you finally were able to continue on and have a conversation, but of course I remember, because my life’s work is all about finding great options to help those who cannot help themselves. And certainly when we are chaotic we are not helping our self.

I’m considering this episode as Part 1 of How to Create Dialouge with a Chaotic Person. I have so much material on this topic that this could easily be a series, but lets first get into the first key point and please let me know if you are finding this topic useful.

When confronted by a chaotic person consider that:

 A Chaotic Person is Drunk on Their Own Rage.

When a person is chaotic, upset, and angry at the world and everyone around them, they in a state of disorder that makes them unable and unwilling to listen.

If they are in rage, their breathing might be shallow or too rapid. In either case it is not a normal rate of respiration and that is your first clue that whatever you say they really aren’t listening. I don’t care if you tell them they just won Lotto, They are not going to hear you.

Just like a person who is intoxicated. Their blood alchohol level needs to come down before they can have a rational conversation that they might actually remember.

It can be very frightening not knowing what to say and having a person screaming at you or threatening you. So think: If a chaotic person can only hear one or two words, then there is no need to figure out what to say.

Instead of trying to talk back at the person, begin with just too simple words. And use them as your measurement of determining if it is worth saying anymore or maybe it is time to exit.

I’m providing a link on this episode’s show notes so that your take a look at Clarrissa Ward’s interview with an Islamic extremist. She is a reporter for CBS News and she did a piece on a tv show called 60 Minutes. She was reporting from the United Kingdom and talking with Extremist on the streets of London. There are these street patrols there where these extremist confront people like woman saying they should cover up, they also confront you if you are gay and they also confront people who are drinking. They abide by a fanatical interpretation of Islam.

Ms. Ward had a heck of a time trying to interview a key figure in the UK these days. He insulted her on her views and stayed true to his message of extremism, which in short is nothing new, in that we have heard this from other chaotic people over the course of history who want to take over the world with the sole view of ‘my way or death to you’.

That sure is chaotic.

For Ms. Ward I tip my hat to you wow what a tough interview. Instead of listening to the chaotic man ( because he really wasn’t making any sense) I watched Ms Ward as she tried to be rational with this guy. You could see, he had gotten her goat (meaning in short he had won before they even started since he was using an age old technique of “putting her on the defense first”.

As I watched I couldn’t help think that instead of trying to rationalize with this man why not consider him “drunk on his own rage” After all isn’t that what extremism is – being so full of your self that you are intoxicated on your own self vision?

He demonstrated a classic representation of someone who is not able to engage in a coherent conversation. Ms Ward, you did a terrific job letting us know about this troubling develop of extremism. You led chaos and I commend you for that.

It is a troubling clip to watch, but provides an excellent representation of a chaotic person.

Seems to me to be a good time to exit and Ms Ward had that option. Unfortunately, not everyone has that option.

Let’s get back to those two words that one can say to a Chaotic Person.

I always like to begin with “Thank you.” It typically stops the person in their tracks They don’t expect it. Chaotic People expect push back. Now I am not condoning absolute passiveness, by saying Thank You. Pushing back is very different that setting and creating boundaries.

The goal is to lead and not be led. By doing something out of the norm, we begin to Create Dialogue with a Chaotic Person.

In Part 2 of this series I will go into what you Say after you’ve said “Thank you”. So please make sure to subscribe to this podcast so that you will not miss that next episode.

Speaking of helping yourself. Are you a teacher, do you work as a care taker, or work in human services? Maybe you are a first responder and emergency care worker.   I have an excellent resource for you.

My book Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management details a simple protocol to use when faced with a potentially volatile scene. It is user friendly for parents, family members and any one looking for tools to create safety for themselves and others. Look for a link to this book in the show notes of this episode. Or look for it on Amazon. Google Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide to Conflict Management Revised Edition (2010). This edition is also available in English and Dutch and in ebook via Smashwords.

Free APP

Flashlight App – You’ll never regret having a handy dandy flashlight at the ready on your smart phone.

When I discussed this APP at the same time there was news about the Flashlight APP stealing info off you phone – basic identify theft. As far as I know this APP is safe, but always make sure that you are not agreeing to every little detail on the APP without knowing the ramifications for your data.

The post Ep:9 – Creating Dialogue with a Chaotic Person appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Everyone has a signature walk. Our “Signature Walk” is an encyclopedia of our life. Our Signature Walk defines who we are, how we are feeling, our station in life and where we are planning on going. You might not think about your walk and what it projects to the world, but everyone else is watching you …and evaluating.

 If you sit at a desk all day, I can tell.

We desk sitters walk with a stiff gait in our legs, in our hips, and sometimes more often than not our shoulders sloop forward. Our tight bodies project the “ouch” of too little stretching and too much work in every step we take.

On the weekends we kick butt, we are weekend warriors pushing our bodies physically by playing hard or raking a pike of leaves. My Signature Walk on Saturday night is even stiffer than my weekday walk. I’m tired, sore but not willing to give into my body.

 What do I do to help me walk into the night?

I have a strong cup of black tea in the late afternoon and hope for my second wind that will take me into the evening. Yes, a spot of tea is the perfect midday break. …

Ah, but I digress.

Let’s get back on track – giving into fatigue does not come easy for us podcast host nor listeners. You work and play hard – I can tell…. by the way you walk.

I have a perfect tip on how to Walk when chaos is abound and everyone is expecting you to be a leader. And, Thankfully there are people like yourself who show up for others everyday and lead chaos.

How do I know about Leading Chaos. It is what I do and have been doing for a very long time.

I have the kind of job that people are interested from the distance. I specialize in conflict management.

I’ve been helping people learn how to be safe when facing a potentially threatening person or scene for the past 27 years. And how you walk is important to me, because, Folks in my line of work , know that 78% of communication is Non verbal.

I started our working at a minimum and maximum security facility for adjudicated adolescents. I worked in the Youth Challenge program which was an adventure based experiential learning program at a state facility for male and females.

Being a state worker allowed me the opportunity to take classes to better my skills as a worker and wilderness instructor, because we were taking teens – camping and rock climbing and on long sometimes 10 day trips on the Appalachian Trail.

While at that job, I became an instructor for the Humane Defense Program which was a crisis intervention program on how to physically manage a disruptive person. It was a purely physical intervention course and it didn’t take me long to realize that no one was promoting verbal intervention – like saying “Let’s both take a step back”. NO that course was purely physical and all about physically immobilizing a person and using even using pain compliance. Back then it was considered state of the art training. Yikes!

Fast forward to 2014, I now pretty much solely teach how to avoid and prevent physical hands on interventions via the Response Crisis Intervention Model. I founded Response in 1986, when I lived nearby to Yale University in New Haven Ct. I went to the Medical Library at Yale and researched everything I could at the time to find other options other than just physically managing a person.

If you want to learn more about Response go to the link on the Leading Chaos Podcast home page and click on Curriculum or look to my book Leading chaos: An Essential Guide To Conflict Management. That book which originally came out in 2002 was revised in 2010. It is in both English and Dutch (in hard print and eBook). The Response Model is user friendly for anyone looking to manage conflict safely.

I have learned quite a bit about non verbal communication. And as a woman who teaches both men and woman on how to enter a scene safely, I love sharing how to embody what I refer to as “The Astronaut Walk” when chaos is abound.

 Leading chaos, is so much better than being led by chaos.

The Astronaut Walk puts me in the Can-do mood that I know is needed when I am called to provide leadership.

 You know what the Astronaut Walk is – you’ve seen it while watching movies where the camera is rolling the scene in slow motion. You can see ever step that the hero or heroes are taking. Maybe it was those block buster Hollywood movies like Armageddon or Independence Day with Will Smith. I think “Astronaut” because who other than an Astronaut is thinking about ever single step that they are taking on planet earth as they walk towards the rocket ship to launch into outer space.

If you haven’t seen those slow motion heroes walking forward into the abyss doing the Astronaut Walk, well it is time to sit down and watch a good movie. Check out the Links below for movies to watch.

Anyone who has ever worked with me, knows about embodying the Astronaut Walk. It is our role as consultants and trainers who often are visiting site for the first time to project a sense of Can-do. After all who would hire you if you didn’t project Can-do.

Do the Astronaut Walk. 

Step 1 – Move slowly and deliberately

Step 2 – Walk tall and keep your posture upright, but not too tight

Step 3 – Chin level and eyes forward

Step 4 – Relax

Step 5 – Think “I got it”

Links

Free APP – Google Maps

Great Movies to watch and get you in the Astronaut Mode

Chariots of Fire

Armageddon

Independence Day

The post Ep:8 – Make Your Signature Walk Count appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

The internet connection was so slow, I could boil water while waiting for basic emails to download, I have a laptop that keeps freezing on me, a blood shot eye that I wish I could blame on having too much fun, but instead it is likely due to too much stress. And that is just the short list of how chaotic it has been.

You’d think that someone who is hosting a podcast on leading chaos would have her act together and not get too thrown off by chaos.

Wouldn’t that be nice to be so super human that chaos rolls off my back like water on a duck. Ha. No. Hosting this podcast is as much for me as it is for you. No one, is perfect. When everything tumbled down on me this week, I lost it and found for a minute a bit of relief by letting out a primal scream.

It’s true.

I looked frantic and razzled, and it was not a pretty site.

But, so what. I recovered and turned my day around. Yes, I did my own version of the hokey pokey and turned my day around.

Hokey Pokey song to yourself 

What is so amazing about the hokey pokey?

It is a physical act – a basic physical act to release stress. There is a reason that the hokey pokey gets played at weddings. Maybe it is a fun group activity, but it is the goofy act of doing the hokey pokey that really brings people together. Certainly the kids in the crowd love it, because it has adults acting silly. And silly is good. It gets us out of our heads and stiff attitudes and brings a bit of levity into our life if only for a moment.

Hokey Pokey song to yourself 

I’m breaking it down to three options we can do when our body is going bonkers from all the stress and chaos in our life.

I do my own variation of the hokey pokey. And if you can’t stand the hokey pokey and I know that is so very true for many of us. At least do something physical to move stress in your body out.

Whether you are alone in your office broom closet, at your desk or able to step out on a country road with no one around. You can shift your body from a stage of heighten tension to one of released calm. Listen If I can do it, anyone can do it. I do not have any extra human strength powers.

Option 1– We’ve all heard “Shake it off already”

Like the coach on the football field, basket ball court, track whatever! Coaches say it to the players “Shake it off – and get back in there – – – make a goal”

I borrow that term and use it when I am up against a deadline and feeling really really tight in my body.

I can do it sitting, standing , even laying down.

Listen to the podcast episode as I talk you through a shake off – or just hmm the Hokey Pokey in your head 

It feels good to release the stress – so shake it off. Easy to do anywhere, any time

Option 2 “Get a grip” is a not so kind thing to say to someone who is having a hard time. But we can take that action of gripping- tightening our muscles to a count of three to even 5 and then releasing.

I like to do this activity of tensing and releasing. And this is a key training tool we do in the Response Curriculum.

I wanna give you a taste of what it can feel like to grip and release to tap into your ability to release stress.

Listen to the podcast episode as I talk you through a a mini stress relaxation exercise– or just hmm the Hokey Pokey in your head 

Option 3 – Make some noise!

Your voice is linked to your breath. Before I begin my podcast I do a bit of facial stretching and sound-making at the same time. I’m sure there is a formal word for this action which actors and public speaker use, but I am at a lost right now. So zap me a line and let me know if there is a word for this technque.

….I sound like Dory on Finding Nemo when I practice this exercise

I often get that yawn, which is a release of tension from making noise.

And the bonus option is to do the Hokey pokey – Music…Please 

 In review 

You can shake it off

Get a grip

Make noise

 And of course deal with it – the hokey pokey is what it is all about.

Links: 

McGuire Sisters – Hokey Pokey

 http://www.seniorsradio247.com/

Free App – White Noise –

Great for drowning out the noise in your hotel room if the neighbor next door is snoring too loud.

The post Ep:7 – 3 Steps for Reducing Physical Stress appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Leslie Cerier.

Let’s put the “Yum” back into your diet.

If your life is so chaotic that eating healthy is difficult, this Leading Chaos Podcast episode is just for you.

For over 30 years, Leslie Cerier, “The Organic Gourmet” Chef has been teaching culinary nutrition and hands-on vegetarian cooking for health and vitality, writing cookbooks focusing on eating local, seasonal, organic foods that are not just good for you, but also pleasurable, delicious and good for the planet.

Leslie Cerier is the author of six cookbooks:

• Co-Author of Visionary Cooking, Food for the Eyes (E Cookbook 2013)
• Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook, A Seasonal Vegetarian Cookbook (New Harbinger Publications, 2010), which was named one of the 12 best cookbooks of 2010 by Natural Solutions Magazine;
• Going Wild in the Kitchen (Square One Publishers, 2005)
• The Quick and Easy Organic Gourmet (Barrytown Ltd, 1996)
• Co-Author of Sea Vegetable Celebration (The Book Publishing Company, 2001)
• Editor of Taste Life! Organic Recipes (Square One Publishers, 2002).

Stay up to date on her latest recipes, classes and contact info at  www.lesliecerier.com

Ria’s Favorite Free App for finding restaurants can be found via the Yelp website.

Did you like this podcast on healthy eating? Please share and leave a comment.

The post Ep:6 – Healthy Eating Tips for the Chaotic Life with The Organic Gourmet: Leslie Cerier appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Can a person who had violent psychotic episodes forty years ago, become a successful full-time Harvard Medical School trained Pediatrician? Yes! – Listen in as Dr. Vonnegut describes his experience and provides tips on how-to lead the chaos of mental illness.

Dr. Vonnegut authored two books, his first memoir “Eden Express” which made the American Library Association Notable Book List and his more recent memoir , “Just like Someone with Mental Illness Only More So” which was published by Bantam Books. His writing is witty, and so spot that it is difficult not to dog ear every page. Suffice to say these books are fantastic reads.

Each books provide a  glimpse into his management of his mental illness and his life with his famous father, American writer, Kurt Vonnegut.

Click to subscribe and get updates to this podcast eNews and episode airings.

The post Ep:5 – Leading Chaos Guest: Dr. Mark Vonnegut appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Justin Korby Stone Mason turned Craft Brewer sitting upon his artwork: magnificent wall

What happens when a prior student of Tom Brown (author, tracker, wilderness teacher in the New Jersey Pine Barrens), changes his trade from stonemason to nano brewery owner?

Chaos?

http://leadingchaospodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Stoneman-Brewery.mp3

Justin Korby is no ordinary business man nor brewer.

He formed the first Community Sustainable Agricultural -Brewery and is rocking palates with his extraordinary beers.

Subscribe to the Leading Chaos Podcast news today and get notifications of all upcoming interviews. Stay connected find out how Korby leads chaos at Stoneman Brewery.

Free Beer App >>>> BrewGene <<<< Helping to navigate the lovely chaos of so many good craft beers

How many pints are in 1-barrel of beer?

If YOU know, let us know and claim your fame as a beer aficionado!

The post Ep: 3 – Stoneman Brewery Startup Chaos appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

The Power of Your Pause

What is a Pause?

To pause is to stop all action.

To pause is embracing your inner stillness.

No words and no movement, except for your eyes taking in the scene at hand.

 How long is the pause?

A pause can be anywhere from 1 to 5 seconds.

5-seconds can feel like an eternity when there is chaos present and that is why a Pause is so powerful. It allows us to stop time, if only for a moment.

An effective Pause can make a room full of people notice you. If you don’t believe me go ahead and practice pausing at a doorway before entering a room. It can be a room full of people that know you or maybe they don’t know you. Either way you will be noticed. We humans are very perceptive and quite spatially oriented. We perceive, whether we are cognizant or not, when something is not following the normal flow of action in a room.

I recommend smiling if you practice the Pause at the entrance to your family room, so that you invite calm instead of inciting discomfort.

Teachers are experts at the Perfect Pause and we can take their lesson to heart. Think about it. Who doesn’t remember their grade school teacher using a “Standing Pause” just inside the doorway of the classroom to get our attention. Yes indeed! Teachers rule. By using a standing pause they got our attention without saying a word. Which is a perfect example of Leading Chaos safely and effectively.

 Are you the boss? Do you own your own business? If so, take the stage and provide the leadership that your work team deserves. Take time to Pause before the next office meeting. Your Standing Pause will provide you with an opportunity to project authority.

To merely begin speaking, without savoring your Pause is to dismiss your own authority. Dear Leaders set the workplace pace. Use your Pause. It is the perfect opportunity to project, calm, clarity, and authority.

3- Key Reason Why Your “Standing Pause” is Powerful

 #3 – A Standing Pause makes YOU Stand Out

In my 2010 Revised Edition of my book: Leading Chaos; An Essential Guide To Conflict Management , I provide numerous short stories about how I have led chaos as an EMT, good Samaritan, and Aikidoist. In Chapter 2 – pager 48, I wrote about “Self Control at Car Accident”.

The scene involved two cars. One car was burning, there was a baby at the scene, and four Chinese exchange students who spoke very little English. I was the very first, professional responder at the site, being that I was certified as an Emergency Medical Technician.

After I got out of my car and grabbed my jump kit, I ran to the scene. After arriving the first thing I did was to take a moment to Pause, to slow myself down and to take in and assess the scene at hand.

Not only did the Pause help me, but also I learned later after the injured were transported to the hospital, that it also helped the other good Samaritans feel reassured and calm that someone was stepping forward to take leadership at a time of crisis and chaos.

# 2 – The Pause Creates the Exhale

In the last episode of this podcast, I discussed what I called the #1 Leading Chaos Technique, which is to Exhale. The truth is, we need to first Pause, so that we can actually Exhale. The two have a symbiotic relationship enabling us to garner self-control. We might be able to let out an Exhale while we are running to assist someone at a chaotic scene, but that exhale will be a lot more valuable if we do it in concert with a 1-2 second Pause.

Certainly when chaos is present, you owe it to yourself to be as competent and clear headed as possible. Without clarity and a full dose of oxygen, your ability to think clearly will be compromised. In the Response Training Programs Crisis Intervention Curriculum, the Pause is the first act we take when arriving at a chaotic scene. We Pause and then Exhale. If you would like more info on the Curriculum click this link.

#1 Reason  to Pause– A Pause Can Save Your Life

When chaos is really reigning down self-control and clarity is your best friend. If you run head into chaos without a strategy or goal, in other words you are winging it, you are putting yourself at risk and likely any team members who are working with you.

Sure 5-seconds can feel like an eternity, but so is death or a critical injury. Take personal responsibility for your actions and take time to Pause, Exhale, and Set Your Goal.

Rarely is a Pause detrimental to you or someone else. More often than not, it is the lack of a Pause that makes a dangerous scene even more dangerous. Without taking time to pause, we are risking our safely and then must rely on other to rescue us.

And I would be avoiding the obvious to not mention that while Pausing is a fantastic tool to use when leading chaos and it is also a great tool to use when life is less than chaotic. Do take time to smell the roses. Take time today to Pause. Your deserve it. 1-2-3 Pause, now Exhale.

Perfect! Time to pause and listen to this episode:

The post Ep: 4 – 3 Key Reasons Why Your “Standing Pause” is Powerful appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

We were all born with an amazing skill that allows us to harness our inner clarity and thus lead when called to act. We do this action 20,000 to 25,000 times daily! It is simple and free.

In this episode:

• We will practice a simple act that helps us manage our inner calm and clarity.

• Learn about Waze! A FREE APP to help you maneuver highway chaos safely.

I am thankful to the band the Grateful Dead for allowing me to play their song “I Need a Miracle” If you would like to purchase the 4 disc CD box set called “The Closing of Winterland, December 31, 1978” – Click on this link. www.dead.net .

Please follow this podcast on Twitter @leadingchaos

Your input and thoughts are important to me so please post your comments about today’s podcast on the Leading Chaos Podcast website.

The post Ep: 2 – The #1 Leading Chaos Technique We All Do Daily appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

 In this episode you will learn:

1. The order of events between 07:46 to 10:03

2. The most important element to lead chaos beside a protocol?

Join in on a “Moment of Silence”

Get a link to 3 Emergency To-Do Lists. “Free”

 1. Emergency To-Go List – sets up a meeting spot if your family becomes separated due to a natural disaster

2. Emergency Kit Checklist – what to have in your to-go bag

3. Emergency Phone Tree checklist – in case of an emergency who to call and in what order.

Listen to: Intro and Outro Music featuring the Grateful Dead song “I need a miracle” From The Closing of Winterland, December 31, 1978

The post Episode 001: Tribute to 9/11 appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Being a beginner podcaster is like starting a garage band

– low budget hoping to make it big.

What both ventures share is the need for good music.

But what does one play for a podcast called “Leading Chaos” – the title alone causes some to run and hide and others to nod and go “Hey, Cool name. What does it mean?”

I literally needed a miracle! Something easy to listen to, that made me smile.

Leading Chaos is not an easy job.

Cripes I’m talking chaos, not air fresheners or Bundt Cake Cooking 101.

We all need a room like this

While making my first mock podcast, I went into my trusty CD collection and saw the song immediately.

At first I wasn’t sure how the song would work, but when I played the first lick of the chorus – It felt like an immediate “Slam Dunk”!

The first three episodes of the show are featuring “I need a miracle” from The Closing of Winterland, December 31, 1978

The band, of course, is the Grateful Dead.

This is a 4-disc box set. The concert was recorded at Winterland Arena, in San Francisco, California on New Year’s Eve 1978.

The Dead rocked Winterland all night long.

In the morning there was breakfast for the whole audience. Talk about leading chaos towards safety, sanity and order!!

A full belly is a darn good place to start.

Click on the artwork for the box set below to go to www.dead.net.

There you can purchase this amazing concert and your own recording of “I need a miracle” — Don’t we all?

I found a Miracle in this Album

The post I Need A Miracle – Grateful Dead on Leading Chaos Podcast appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

Don’t even go there.

 While you are at it avoid adding “not” to these words too: Should, Could, Would, and Can.

When everything falls apart, rise above it and embrace your inner Phoenix. History has proven that people ALWAYS move towards survival. Choosing a can-do attitude might not be your first thought when in the middle of a crisis, but the sooner you get there the better for all.

In “Closure”, the 2006 book about the rescue and recovery mission at the World Trade Center site on 9/11, author Lt. William Keegan Jr. is thrust into the role of leadership at a level that no one could ever prepare for nor imagine. Through his words, we are drawn into the intimate evolution of a leader and learn that it is all about “finding possibilities” when the world is turned upside down.

Keegan explains that the emergency protocol for a disaster site is to set up a command post. Usually this task is straight forward, but chaos has a way of turning the “simple” into the ‘complex”: the street was lined with trees providing no room for the tents.

One man at the site moved beyond the immobility of ‘don’t” and set his sights on “Do”. He grabbed a chainsaw and cut down the trees. Keegan wrote it was a necessary measure,  that required judgment (cut the trees) and not just mere facts (there is no room).

For leaders of chaos “Don’t” and “Can’t” are four letter words best left in the “Land of No” far-far-away from the “Land of Do”.

Individuals who lead chaos think in the realm of possibilities. They think: “When working towards success there is no time for failure.”

Are YOU ready join me in learning what works when leading chaos safely?

Tune in on September 11,^, 2014 via SoundCloud and listen to the first two episodes of The Leading Chaos Podcast.

It’s Free, It’s Inspiring and It’s Possible, “Do it” TODAY

The post “The Don’t Rule of Leading Chaos” – Blog Post #2 appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.

 Okay, I admit it. I seem to have a knack for doing things the hard way. Who knew it was so difficult to manage a website, never mind a blog? Recording a podcast “snap” and Mac’s don’t get viruses, right?

Eric my very helpful web tech virtual friend says, “Make sure that blog is mobile friendly. Make it responsive and get that Twitter Bootstrap.”

I have no idea what he is talking about. I type out ‘Got it’ in reply and press send. Sitting back in my chair I say out loud to no one, “What was I thinking?”

Hesitation is not my strong point.

 Don’t get me wrong. A bit of hesitation is a good thing. I could make a lengthy list of all the times a bit of hesitation helped me avoid a bad decision. It is a good virtue to have, as long as it isn’t your only virtue.

If I was prone to hesitating, there would be no amazing stories from hitchhiking across the US five times in the span of three years.

I would have never stepped onto that Aikido mat in 1986, filled with burly, sweaty men throwing each other around the room, had I been one to hesitate.

Chaos thrives on hesitation.

 When chaos is reigning decisiveness is required.

Decisiveness leads chaos back to the comfy equilibrium we all know as order.  Finding out the how-to of harnessing the ability to become decisive and focused during a chaotic event is my quest.

Sometimes to find out what works, we have to discuss what doesn’t work…providing yet another reason to keep coming back to this page and this podcast. Think: #LeadingChaos missteps.

Creating chaos and disorder to power over another person or group of people happens. I will  explore this angle of chaos too, since identifying the root cause of an action is often the first step in finding a solution.

I’m interested in how you lead chaos in your own life – go to the comment buttom below or zap me a line via email at the icon at the top of this webpage.

Hesitation has its place, but not when it come to pressing the Subscribe button to the Leading Chaos Podcast right now.

Let’s lead chaos, before it lead us.

Be Safe.

~Ria

The post Hesitation is not my strong point – Blog #1 appeared first on Leading Chaos Podcast.