This is likely not something you will see in a typical leadership training session yet something I have been doing for over three decades, and something I think is substantially important.

Breathing.

When a conversation becomes tense, when something unexpected happens, when we are frustrated, nervous, or unsure what to do next, our instinct can be to react in the moment.

We want to answer the question, solve the problem, defend ourselves, or make a decision.

Sometimes the better leadership response is to do nothing for a few seconds.

Take a breath.

Breathing creates a small space between what happens and what we do next.

It gives us an opportunity to slow down, gather our thoughts, and respond rather than react.

I also use breathing before I speak publicly.

No matter how many times I have spoken in front of a group, there is always some nervous energy before I begin.

I have learned not to fight it.

Instead, before speaking, I take 100 deliberate, deep breaths. It slows me down, settles my mind.

We spend so much time learning leadership techniques, communication strategies, and decision-making tools that we can overlook one of the simplest tools available to us.

When things become difficult, breathe.

Before an important conversation, breathe.

Before you walk onto a stage, breathe.

Then decide what comes next.

The beauty of this tool is that you already do it and it costs nothing to apply.

Breathe.