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Stress changes how you communicate.
Stress fundamentally changes communication by triggering our shadow behaviors—the overuse or unconscious application of our natural strengths. This is important to realize, as under pressure, we tend to double down on what feels familiar rather than adapting to what the situation actually needs.
More generally, stress makes us more reactive and less reflective. Our listening tends to decrease while our need to be heard increases. We also may lose access or have to try harder to access our more balanced, adaptive responses. Sometimes we default to the strongest of our Five Paths styles under stress, changing how others perceive our responses. We can also lose our ability to read others’ needs and adjust how we respond.
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