Don’t think you won’t face crises.
They’ll come. As long as you’re living, any day is capable of bringing one of these to your doorstep. No one is exempt. They are part of life: an unwanted part, but a part, nonetheless. Sometimes it’s your fault, sometimes it’s someone else’s, sometimes it just happens. It might not directly affect you, or it might be coming down on someone near and dear, but crisis are like storms – when they’re big enough, they ruin things for everyone anywhere near by.
So when it happens, do this: stand tall.
Here’s another way of saying it: Carry your authority with you. What does that mean? It means: Don’t fall apart. Don’t start blaming others. Don’t lose your composure. That’s not going to do anything but cause people to lose respect for you. That’s going to cause you to lose what little control of the situation you still have. In other words, it will make it worse. The first moments are the most important. When the pressure is the worst, and the temptation to explode is overwhelming, take a breath, stand tall, and maintain your composure.
