Regulate Heat, Do Not Remove It
Manage the level of distress in uncertain work so people can adapt instead of freezing or exploding.
The aim is not comfort. The aim is a level of tension people can work with. Uncertain periods push leaders toward two bad extremes. One is premature soothing: “Everything is fine, keep going.” The other is unmanaged alarm: “This is a disaster, figure it out.” Both fail. The first prevents adaptation because the stakes never become real enough. The second overwhelms attention and narrows cognition. Productive heat versus destructive heat Productive heat sharpens attention. People feel the consequence of inaction, but they still have enough psychological room to think and contribute. Destructive heat shows up differently: repetition, blame, rumor loops,…
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