Coach’s journal · Self-awareness & roles
A place to begin
Link one recognizable signal with one small action: if you notice the urge to answer immediately, ask for the colleague’s thinking first. Make the plan specific enough to recognize in a real situation.
When knowing does not stop the old response
A deadline approaches and you notice yourself checking everything again. It can feel as though the change disappeared. Explore the conditions around that moment and what the familiar response was protecting. Noticing the pattern can itself become the beginning of a different choice, rather than proof that the learning failed.
Give the signal an observable shape
“When I am stressed” may be too broad to notice in time. Look for a particular moment: speech speeding up or opening a message before the agreed check-in. Rather than trying to remove the signal, choose a question you want it to remind you of. It should be a cue you can actually recognize.
Keep the next action small enough
Choose something possible in a busy moment: breathe out once, ask for the person’s judgment or clarify a priority. The plan is not a rule to postpone an urgent intervention. Consider the real risk and responsibility while exploring a brief space between the automatic response and the response you want to choose.
Record the return
At the end of the week, ask when you noticed and what you chose rather than only whether you followed the plan perfectly. If the cue arrived too late, look for an earlier one. A colleague may help you notice. HR can support time to reflect on the experiment instead of turning the plan into another compliance check.
Questions about this topic
How many If–Then plans do I need?
Begin with one meaningful signal and action, then adjust after trying it.
Should I change the plan if I miss the cue?
Explore the conditions and adjust the signal or size of the action.
Does this article report a research finding?
It explains a workbook practice. The related research insight separately discusses evidence and limits.