Based on Teresa's post from last month about performance journaling a positive event, I journaled on two completely separate events that almost "accidentally" turned out positive.  I benefitted through journaling to learn what they had in common.

Both cases I entered a situation that I knew could be "full of tension".  One situation was very complicated (7 agitated parties) and the other one I was exhausted and compressed for time.  As a result in each, I couldn't "pre-gamefilm" nor really muster the energy in real-time to wonder how what I had to share was going to be heard.

What I did was focus inward on where I was coming from in the Empowerment Dynamic, and spoke from there.  My usual real-time self-critical thought process was shut down and I just spoke from where my clear intentions laid. And after the situations closed, I looked back incredulously with this thought of "well that went the way I hoped it would".  But it wasn't through "managing everyone" as I usually try to do.  I was much simpler and a whole lot less effort.  It felt very authentic and "clean".  However, it's unsettling because it felt like my hands were off the wheel.

-tony