Preparing for something big and scary

Where starting school and brand resilience collide…

My eldest is starting Big School. Like Secondary School Big School. Five minutes ago she was singing ‘cauliflowers fluffy’ and now we’re about to send her out into the World, where she’ll need to be in the right place at the right time (nowhere near me🥲), navigate grown-up relationships and (worst of all) homework. She’s had some Big Feelings this summer. Eras have ended, facing new ones. As parents we have our own memories of starting Secondary School and all the excruciating moments associated with that time.

Concurrent to dealing with Tween Big Feelings™ this summer (best recipe: peanut butter cookie-making, while listening -wailing and dancing- to our girl TayTay), I’ve been preparing crisis management workshops for clients: leadership and MarComms teams. I also had the task of prepping a charity I work with, in anticipation of potential targeting during the riots that took place earlier this summer in the UK.

Prepping for big and scary situations is a two-step process:

Put what you can in place, beforehand:

• Big School version: stationery, establish and solidify existing relationships with fellow tweens, stick the right stickers on your books and laptop.

• Crisis Management version: establish a clear escalation plan, prep senior leaders, draft sample statements, connect with friendly stakeholders.

Look after the Big Feelings. This is a very similar approach for both situations:

• Things are about to get ugly. People will say things they won't mean. People will be mean and it will hurt. Anticipate that, be ready for it, adjust your expectations.

• Self-compassion. This is the one thing you can control: look after yourself. Hard. This is how you’ll get through it. Mindfulness, rest, water, food. Breathing.

• Connection. Whether you’re a Year 7 newby or a CEO, you have people who think a lot of you, people you trust and people who will take time to listen to and look out for you. Bring them in, ask them for help.

• What’s me and what’s you? This is where the self-compassion comes in. If you’re breathing and giving yourself space to think where you can, you have more chance to think clearly about accountability. Did we do something wrong? Did someone else? How do we navigate through this minefield / WhatsApp spat / social media storm.

There’s a chance I have extended this metaphor to an uncomfortable degree, but I’m going with it. Good luck to everyone starting a new school or job this September. If you want some help with your Crisis Plan, or are looking for some Coaching as you approach a big life or career change, get in touch 😊.