Anyone who has ever driven up or down a mountain, ridden the express elevator to the top of a skyscraper and back down, flown, or scuba dived knows what a change in pressure can do to one’s hearing. We have in our ear canals natural pressure-change sensors. At lower elevations air inside the canals has a higher pressure than air at higher elevations and vice versa, so we do what we can to even out the pressure during climbs and descents: Swallow, move our jaws, chew gum. When we succeed going higher, the air rushes out of; going down, into.
Seems that in life we are always making the same kinds of adjustments. Pressure too great? We do what we can to get the high-pressure stuff out of our lives. Some of us seem to succeed at the process; others try with varying degrees of success.
Ironically, those who succeed in lessening the feeling of high pressure on the “inside” often seek circumstances that put more pressure on them from the outside. It’s as though once adjusted to a pleasant lower pressure, they seek the battle of air pressure again. Having ascended, their planes or cars must descend to where pressure is greater, where air comes knocking at the doors to the ear canals, trying to force its way in. Equalized pressure is not a steady state in the rising and falling of most human lives.
Ever notice how many truly successful leaders have found a way to equalize the pressure? They acclimate both going up and going down. They have to. No one stays at the top without some minor—or major—descent. What is their secret? How do they adjust to changes in pressure?
Obviously, different people use different methods just as during elevation changes some chew gum, some swallow, and some move their mandibles to equalize air pressure between ear canals and ambient atmosphere. But here’s something you might try when you believe pressure changes are inhibiting your success: Think of riding in an elevator, riding up a mountain, rising into or descending from the skies. I know, it’s just an image, but it puts you in a place. Sports psychologists, players, and people who meditate know the value of imagery. And imagery always involves thinking of place.
When you make place the focus, you put yourself in control. You can’t control time, but you can control place, even if it is a matter of mental imagery. Pressure mounting? Think of all those goings up and down and how you adjusted and cleared your ears.
Then think of the most important effect: Your ears opened, and you were better able to listen. Maybe that’s the goal when pressure mounts: To be able to listen, to hear what is going on in your environment. Listening. It’s easier when air pressure in the canals equals the pressure outside. Effective leaders know the importance of listening, and they know they can’t listen until they clear their ear canals. They also know that something as seemingly insubstantial as air can affect their ability to hear the people they lead.
Seems that in life we are always making the same kinds of adjustments. Pressure too great? We do what we can to get the high-pressure stuff out of our lives. Some of us seem to succeed at the process; others try with varying degrees of success.
Ironically, those who succeed in lessening the feeling of high pressure on the “inside” often seek circumstances that put more pressure on them from the outside. It’s as though once adjusted to a pleasant lower pressure, they seek the battle of air pressure again. Having ascended, their planes or cars must descend to where pressure is greater, where air comes knocking at the doors to the ear canals, trying to force its way in. Equalized pressure is not a steady state in the rising and falling of most human lives.
Ever notice how many truly successful leaders have found a way to equalize the pressure? They acclimate both going up and going down. They have to. No one stays at the top without some minor—or major—descent. What is their secret? How do they adjust to changes in pressure?
Obviously, different people use different methods just as during elevation changes some chew gum, some swallow, and some move their mandibles to equalize air pressure between ear canals and ambient atmosphere. But here’s something you might try when you believe pressure changes are inhibiting your success: Think of riding in an elevator, riding up a mountain, rising into or descending from the skies. I know, it’s just an image, but it puts you in a place. Sports psychologists, players, and people who meditate know the value of imagery. And imagery always involves thinking of place.
When you make place the focus, you put yourself in control. You can’t control time, but you can control place, even if it is a matter of mental imagery. Pressure mounting? Think of all those goings up and down and how you adjusted and cleared your ears.
Then think of the most important effect: Your ears opened, and you were better able to listen. Maybe that’s the goal when pressure mounts: To be able to listen, to hear what is going on in your environment. Listening. It’s easier when air pressure in the canals equals the pressure outside. Effective leaders know the importance of listening, and they know they can’t listen until they clear their ear canals. They also know that something as seemingly insubstantial as air can affect their ability to hear the people they lead.
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